How to manage the mental somersaults, avoiding brain damage and brain rewiring from reading news?

[Doodski]

No mention of actual news stories in the thread is the rule. This thread is only about recognition of the issue, self management, harm reduction, coping skills and knowing when to set the news articles aside and go to do stuff that is wholesome and positive thinking? Have you escaped the news for greener pastures, do you daily keep up to speed on the current events? Myself I reached the point that I need to escape for awhile and do something wholesome. I took a 1 month community course in mindfulness/meditation and the meditation part was OK but I learned better more effective skills in martial arts training that I studied some time ago. I read stuff that interfered with my sleep habits or I was not sleeping at all and it changed my entire view of humanity. After a couple of weeks of serious contemplation I have come to some level of closure, forgiveness and improved trust and faith but the brain damage has been done. What is your take on the matter?

 

[Blumlein 88]

I think this is a common fairly new problem. Don't have anything useful to contribute, but hope someone does.

 

[kemmler3D]

I was legitimately losing it from "doomscrolling" on Reddit and reading a lot of distressing headlines over and over. Political-type thoughts were rolling around in my head pretty much no matter what. I realized I needed to get a grip when I couldn't just relax even when I was on a nice trip to Hawaii.

I quit Reddit cold turkey and discovered ASR around the same time.

From my post count since I joined, you can see that I was really focusing on negative news stories ... a lot. (maybe not as much as some of the guys here, but I've racked up some time.)

Audio is a hobby and it's easy to stop thinking about it when I log off. Maybe it's still a waste of time, but at least it's not a waste of time that's corroding my mental health.

My advice: If you find that a certain source of information is creating negative mental habits for you... just stop reading it. You really, truly don't need social media or whatever other outlet you're spending time on in your life. Log out, delete the app, block it on your browser, whatever. Just stop.

 

[JSmith]

Have you escaped the news for greener pastures, do you daily keep up to speed on the current events?

I do try to keep up with current events and monitor news regularly. I don't bother though arguing with people online about it all anymore.

With certain things happening in the world recently, it is heartbreaking and difficult to watch. So I have found myself switching off a little in relation to those events, as I am powerless to assist in any meaningful way.


JSmith

 

[Doodski]

I was legitimately losing it from "doomscrolling" on Reddit and reading a lot of distressing headlines over and over.

I quit Reddit cold turkey and discovered ASR around the same time.

From my post count since I joined, you can see that I was really focusing on negative news stories ... a lot.

My advice: If you find that a certain source of information is creating negative mental habits for you... just stop reading it. You really, truly don't need social media or whatever other outlet you're spending time on in your life.

I have about a dozen links that I use for accessing news outlets around the world. This is in effort to have as many sources as possible and to get variety.

 

[DonR]

Lots of dog and cat pictures in my twitter feed. Brings balance.

 

[Doodski]

Lots of dog and cat pictures in my twitter feed. Brings balance.

Yessss, and a member of ASR posted really nice colorful images of vintage racing motorcycles and that helped immensely. Cats and dogs are very helpful too.

 

[kemmler3D]

I have about a dozen links that I use for accessing news outlets around the world. This is in effort to have as many sources as possible and to get variety.

I'd say that one thing that helped me was to relax a bit about being completely informed. World events are largely beyond our control, and being OK with not knowing about every-damn-thing going on was very helpful for me.

Having a lot of sources (for me) leads to a merry-go-round of checking them all repeatedly for updates, which feeds back into the negative mental habits.

 

[Doodski]

I'd say that one thing that helped me was to relax a bit about being completely informed. World events are largely beyond our control, and being OK with not knowing about every-damn-thing going on was very helpful for me.

Having a lot of sources (for me) leads to a merry-go-round of checking them all repeatedly for updates, which feeds back into the negative mental habits.

You nailed it for me. This is pretty much exactly what happened and I really needed to hear this. Thanks muchO!

 

[kemmler3D]

You nailed it for me. This is pretty much exactly what happened and I really needed to hear this. Thanks muchO!

Glad to hear it man. I think if you take a little vacation from news and forgive yourself for being slightly out of the loop, you will start to feel a lot better.

The human brain was never meant to assimilate every bad thing that happens everywhere on the planet at all times.


A small aside: In sci-fi / superhero movies or TV shows, sometimes characters gain the ability to hear people's thoughts. When they can't turn the power off, this is usually depicted as an unwanted cacophony where all the negativity, pain, and sorrow flying at them from all directions drives them mad.

And... when you think about it... modern news sources are sort of like this. We're not built for the 24/7 influx of info.

 

[pderousse]

You have a civic obligation (my opinion) to be an informed voter. To avoid confusion it requires time: 1) read a lot from different outlets; 2) read also an outside the U.S. source like BBC or if you know another language; 3) stop reading downwards and read laterally - take key terms, open a new tab and read up on specific terms so that you are not misled by someone’s thesaurus; 4) avoid social media for all things that might qualify as news (or altogether); 5) avoid online chats about news; 6) read bylines and begin to cultivate a few authors whom you trust and don’t trust; 7) avoid outlets known for their extreme editorials; 8) and take breaks like you did; 9) if you get involved in local politics, it can be renewing/affirming because you will realize that real politics is BORING and oh so much more important because it is you and your neighbors solving your problems that directly impact your community.

 

[Doodski]

You have a civic obligation (my opinion) to be an informed voter.

This is exactly where this started from. I have now decided and other than the sympathy, empathy, knowledge and somehow the humanity that I get from it I have no reason to continue unless it is extenuating circumstances.

5) avoid online chats about news

OMG for sure. They can be really deadly to the brain health.

 

[kemmler3D]

You have a civic obligation (my opinion) to be an informed voter. To avoid confusion it requires time: 1) read a lot from different outlets; 2) read also an outside the U.S. source like BBC or if you know another language; 3) stop reading downwards and read laterally - take key terms, open a new tab and read up on specific terms so that you are not misled by someone’s thesaurus; 4) avoid social media for all things that might qualify as news (or altogether); 5) avoid online chats about news; 6) read bylines and begin to cultivate a few authors whom you trust and don’t trust; 7) avoid outlets known for their extreme editorials; 8) and take breaks like you did; 9) if you get involved in local politics, it can be renewing/affirming because you will realize that real politics is BORING and oh so much more important because it is you and your neighbors solving your problems that directly impact your community.

Generally agree with this, (when the news is taken in moderate doses, and not compulsively) - I would add - avoid cable TV news at all costs. I have never watched any of it (of any editorial or political slant) without feeling like my brain was being rinsed out of my skull by a firehose of sternly outraged stupidity.

 

[Doodski]

I would add - avoid cable TV news at all costs. I have never watched any of it (of any editorial or political slant) without feeling like my brain was being rinsed out of my skull by a firehose of sternly outraged stupidity.

Yes, I decided to avoid it all because of all the tisking as news stories where and leading emotional virtue signaling. I only use text format now.

 

[pderousse]

Generally agree with this, (when the news is taken in moderate doses, and not compulsively) - I would add - avoid cable TV news at all costs. I have never watched any of it (of any editorial or political slant) without feeling like my brain was being rinsed out of my skull by a firehose of sternly outraged stupidity.

In moderate doses, it can be useful to know what the enemy is up to.

 

[JSmith]

I would add - avoid cable TV news at all costs.

Especially FOX News... absolute mind poison.


JSmith

 

[Doodski]

In moderate doses, it can be useful to know what the enemy is up to.

I do prefer to not be living in a bubble or vacuum because of that. Plus it's so interesting to compare notes with other people of whatever opinion that are informed too. I met a guy that was the bouncer at a pub a couple of days ago and he's from across the world and we talked for 2 hours steady in such a way that when it was over it felt like it had just begun.

 

[pderousse]

This is exactly where this started from. I have now decided and other than the sympathy, empathy, knowledge and somehow the humanity that I get from it I have no reason to continue unless it is extenuating circumstances.

OMG for sure. They can be really deadly to the brain health.

Although were on thin ice. I give it 1 page before this gets overtly political. Odds?

 

[Doodski]

Especially FOX News... absolute mind poison.


JSmith

Being from Canada, living 3 miles from the border for many years and of the mindset that I love The United States of America and that's why I have visited dozens of times but the news delivery is unbearable in the manner of which it is done. So I fully agree...LoL.

 

[Doodski]

Although were on thin ice. I give it 1 page before this gets overtly political. Odds?

We can do this. Keep the politics out people. Otherwise I gathered muchO strength from this and feel way better and I feel empowered from your information.