4 Ways to Manage News Anxiety

Mar 10, 2022

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The news can make you really anxious, but you can learn to manage that anxiety. If doom scrolling is ruining your day or if the steady stream of bad news is getting you down, depressed, or overwhelmed, take a few minutes to learn how to manage anxiety about the news.

It’s been a rough weekend for Ukraine and the world. The news coming out of there is painful and scary to watch. And I know it’s affecting a lot of people.

Over the weekend, one of my friends posted how the news was making her anxious, discouraged, overwhelmed, and I know that’s the experience for so many of you kind, sensitive people. It’s stressful to care, but even more than that, our brilliant brain believes we are in danger when we read about other people who are.

So in this video we’re going to talk about how your brain has a reptilian reaction to the news and this can mess up your life, and four ways you can actively manage your brain so that the news doesn’t make you depressed or overwhelmed with anxiety.

News anxiety doesn't haven't to control you. Learn to manage it in a healthy way.

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Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.

In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction. And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe

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