How to cope with anxiety-inducing news?

After a summer marked by heatwaves, storms, and fires, it's time for a new school year against a backdrop of anxiety-inducing political and economic news.

Even when we make an effort to stay away from television and radio, it is almost impossible to avoid these negative news stories.

If despite all your efforts, it ends up affecting you, causing anxiety or irritation, here is a triad that can help you.

Resilience, indulgence, and love.

What is an anxiety-inducing situation?

An anxiety-inducing situation is a situation or context that elicits or provokes anxiety, meaning a feeling of stress, worry, or intense fear. These situations can vary from person to person, as each individual reacts differently based on their personal experiences, sensitivity, and perception of the world around them.

It is important to note that anxiety can be a normal and adaptive reaction to certain situations, as it prepares us to face potential danger. However, when anxiety becomes excessive, persistent, and interferes with a person's daily life, it can be considered an anxiety disorder that requires special attention and possibly professional treatment.

Why are the media anxiety-inducing?

The media can be considered anxiety-inducing for several reasons:

Selection of information: The media tend to focus on negative and sensational events. Dramatic news, disasters, crimes, and conflicts attract more public attention and generate higher ratings. This can create a biased perception of reality, giving the impression that the world is a more dangerous place than it actually is.

Amplification of risks: The media have the power to amplify risks by emphasizing the most severe consequences of an event. They can exaggerate statistics or present catastrophic scenarios that provoke fear and anxiety among viewers.

Repetition of traumatic images: The media tend to repeatedly broadcast shocking and traumatic images during crisis situations. The constant repetition of these images can reinforce collective and individual anxiety, generating a sense of insecurity.

Lack of context: The media often have little time to provide detailed and nuanced information. News is often presented in a simplified manner and without context, which can lead to a partial understanding of the situation. This can reinforce anxiety by creating an incomplete and alarming perception of reality.

It is important to note that not all media are anxiety-inducing, and there are also media outlets that strive to inform in a balanced manner and promote positive messages.

What are the consequences of information fatigue?

Information fatigue, also known as information overload, occurs when we are exposed to a constant and excessive flow of information, which can have several consequences:

Decreased cognitive abilities: When we are faced with an overwhelming amount of information, it becomes difficult to absorb, understand, and process it effectively. This can lead to decreased concentration, memory, and decision-making ability.

Increased stress and anxiety: The surplus of information can raise stress and anxiety levels. When we are constantly bombarded with alarming news, contradictory opinions, and incessant alerts, it can lead to a sense of insecurity, a fear of missing something important, and generalized anxiety.

Mental exhaustion: Continuous information processing can deplete our mental resources. The constant search for information, browsing social media, and checking the news can be mentally exhausting and contribute to fatigue and burnout.

Decrease in productivity: Information overload can disrupt our ability to focus on specific tasks and maintain a high level of productivity. Constant interruptions from notifications and information streams can fragment our attention and hinder our ability to accomplish tasks effectively.

Impact on emotional well-being: Excessive exposure to negative, sensationalist, or traumatic information can evoke negative emotions such as sadness, anxiety, or anger, which can affect our overall mood and emotional balance.

What are the solutions to decompress?

A solution to decompress is: resilience, indulgence, and love.

In mechanics, resilience is the ability of a material to withstand a shock. It is the power to bounce back. In psychology, it refers to the ability to rebuild oneself after a traumatic situation to avoid living in misery.

I believe that no event is solely negative or positive. There is always a dark side and a bright side to our life experiences, even the most challenging ones. So, as you read these lines, what is the advantage of the current political and economic situation for you? What opportunity arises from it? What horizon does it open in your life? Look closely, I am sure there is a nugget of gold right near you.

Indulgence, especially towards yourself. If I talk about this, it's because I also tend to lose track of my good habits (sports, diet, sleep, etc.) during stressful times. And I know many of you are in the same situation. And we know, eating your emotions, unloading them in front of the TV, alcohol, gambling, or laziness is an easy path. And it's normal. Maybe lower your goals to stay proud of yourself every night before bed. Better a small step every day than a big step from time to time. Autumn is often a complicated period physiologically (shorter days, arrival of cold, decrease in light, body slowing down, wanting to make reserves). Many people feel down during this period. Add to that a political crisis and an excess of negative news in the media. How do you think you can maintain your fasts, your workouts, your readings, and so on? I invite you to turn off your TV, limit social media, and go outside. Walk, play, laugh, hug, cuddle, enjoy yourself, and keep your energy level high. I like to believe that if each of us vibrates high and feels good, the whole community benefits. We are all connected.

Love is at the source of all forms of life. If you don't know it, I invite you to discover here Professor Emoto's experiment on the memory of water. This experiment shows that our thoughts, words, and energies can alter the structure of the water molecule. Positive thoughts and energies sustain life, while others harm life and its development. Knowing that we are mainly made up of water... I leave you to imagine what happens if we are confronted with or emit negative energies, words, and emotions all the time. Powerful, isn't it? At what levels of your life do you feel love and project it onto others? Who makes you feel love in your life? How could you say or show it?

Between resilience, indulgence, and love, what speaks to you the most?

I hope this triad resonates with you and warms your heart!

I send you all my good vibes for the end of the year and invite you to reach out to me if you feel the need for support.

Alexia DELVA

Method D.R.E.A.M

Sleep, Breathe, Release, Love, and Eat.

Coaching and immersive retreats to return to your essential needs and live in full health with a smile.

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