A Therapist’s Thoughts on the Emotional Impact of News
As a therapist, I usually know when there’s chaos in the world. I don’t watch the news all day or constantly check my phone. Instead, I notice it in how my clients arrive at the start of their sessions.
There’s a general sense of sadness, increased stress, and even helplessness that hangs in the room. Eventually, we get to what they came to therapy for—but first comes the headline.
“Did you see the news?”
Or, “I know I should just be grateful with everything going on in the world…”
Often, it’s simply, “I just feel awful. I can’t believe what’s happening.”
Even when things are relatively okay in their own lives, a sense of stress, sadness, and helplessness creeps in.
Trauma History Can Make News Exposure Harder
For people with a history of trauma, the impact can be even more intense. The ability to relate to stories of violence and injustice is natural and powerful. Someone across the country can suddenly feel like a character in their own story of pain, betrayal, or fear. News headlines—especially when paired with graphic images or videos—can reinforce feelings of danger, instability, and loss of safety.
Limiting News Intake Is Not Avoidance
Sometimes I feel almost guilty when I don’t resonate with the fear and urgency surrounding the news. But the truth is, every day I sit with stories full of pain, neglect, abuse, and inequity. I’ve learned I can’t expect myself to carry more of that—especially on a global scale. Call it protecting my peace. These boundaries are what allow me to keep doing my job well.
Research following the COVID-19 pandemic and major public tragedies, such as the Boston Marathon bombing, shows this clearly: the more media and headlines we consume, the more anxious—and even “traumatized”—we can become. Over and over, studies show the same pattern: more exposure, worse emotional outcomes.
“Staying Informed” Can Increase Helplessness
This kind of stress is sneaky. Even when we know the news affects us, turning away can feel wrong—like a failure of compassion. Many of us carry the belief that if we don’t witness injustice, we’re somehow contributing to it. Let’s pause and unpack that.
First, our brains are wired to seek information and scan constantly for threat. While we may hope we’re watching the news out of compassion, much of the pull comes from curiosity, stimulation, and dopamine-driven attention loops. Compassion, however, is active. Compassion asks: What can I actually do?
We often assume that the more we know, the better prepared we’ll be. That’s not always true. Repeatedly witnessing events we have no control over can increase feelings of helplessness and passivity. More often, the news affects us far more than it affects the world.
Signs News Consumption Is Hurting Your Mental Health
The American Psychological Association (2022) outlines signs that news consumption may be doing more harm than good. These include intrusive thoughts, increased anxiety or anger, resentment, and coping behaviors like overdrinking or overeating. If you’re choosing news consumption over activities that make life feel meaningful—or if the news consistently colors your mood—it may be time for a new boundary.
So how do we manage the mess?
Helplessness often shows up as resignation: “I can’t stop these things from happening, so there’s nothing I can do.” That’s where the modern news cycle becomes especially heavy.
A few changes can make a real difference: your media serving size, your points of access, and how well your consumption aligns with your values.
1. Reduce News Intake Like a Serving Size
Research during the pandemic showed that reducing news and social media intake directly improved people’s ability to manage anxiety. Set limits. Use a timer. Treat overexposure like any other toxin—harm comes from dosage.
2. Slow Down the Nervous System
Constant notifications and rapid headlines overwhelm our nervous systems. Mute notifications. Journal. Talk through what’s bothering you. Slowing down helps emotions move instead of stacking.
3. Let Your Values Guide What You Consume
Issues matter—but consuming without action creates numbness. Notice what aligns with your values and take real-world steps: volunteer, donate, learn, or change daily habits. Action restores agency.
There will always be more pain than we can carry. That’s why we have to be thoughtful about the soil we root ourselves in. There is injustice in our neighborhoods and pain in our relationships—places where our care can truly matter.
If more of us focused there, the world would quietly become kinder.
REFERENCES:
Mayo Clinic Podcast
Meinzer, K. (Host). (n.d.). How the news affects your mental health [Audio podcast episode]. Health Matters, Mayo Clinic. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org
APA Monitor Article
Abrams, Z. (2022). Doomscrolling: When news overload harms mental health. Monitor on Psychology, 53(4). American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/monitor
COVID-19 News Exposure Study
Hwang, J., Borah, P., Shah, D. V., & Brauer, M. (2021). The relationship among COVID-19 information seeking, news exposure, and emotional distress. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(24), 13140. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182413140
Social Media & PTSD Study
Price, M., Legrand, A. C., Brier, Z. M. F., & Hébert-Dufresne, L. (2022). Pandemic-related social media exposure and mental health outcomes. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0001205
Media Limitation Study
Fullana, M. A., Hidalgo-Mazzei, D., Vieta, E., & Radua, J. (2020). Coping behaviors associated with decreased anxiety and depressive symptoms during COVID-19 lockdown. Journal of Affective Disorders, 275, 80–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.06.027
Boston Marathon Media Exposure Study
Holman, E. A., Garfin, D. R., & Silver, R. C. (2014). Media’s role in broadcasting acute stress following the Boston Marathon bombings. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(1), 93–98. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1316265110
