“It’s hard to see scary news.” The mind becomes unstable, and symptoms such as insomnia, stomach pain, and dizziness may appear. I will explain the appropriate way to deal with it.
Scary news makes me anxious… some mental symptoms caused by dark news
Not a few people feel uneasy when they see the news of painful incidents and accidents. In counseling, I often meet people who have anxiety after watching the news.
For example, some people suffered from insomnia because they couldn’t sleep because they were worried about the news of the earthquake and the spread of infection. Even though it wasn’t an earthquake, some people felt like they were shaking, and went to see an otolaryngologist or a psychosomatic medicine doctor. I often meet people who are overwhelmed with anxiety when they see reports of tragic accidents, thinking, “I might one day be a victim myself.”
Scary news makes me mentally unstable…Symptoms such as insomnia and nausea
When people hear stories of tragic events that other people have suffered, or see news about incidents or accidents, they develop a sense of urgency, thinking, “This is not someone else’s problem.” However, if this sense of crisis becomes excessive, you will be swayed by the anxiety that you don’t know when it will happen, even though it is not actually happening to you.
Especially in TV news and videos, you will see real images of incidents and accident sites. Witnessing the tragic situation, the tension continues as if you were in a battle stance. If this condition continues, it may lead to physical symptoms such as insomnia, dizziness, palpitations, nausea, and stomach pain.
Read Also: Trauma from tragic news reports and videos, protect children’s hearts
What to do when reports of incidents or accidents make you feel anxious
It is important to anticipate and prepare for danger, but it is not a good thing if anxiety continues to the point that it interferes with daily life.
If the mere exposure to distressing information is painful, stay away from the news and images that lead to anxiety. Turn off your smartphone for a while. Don’t watch the news on TV either.
If you have strong symptoms such as being unable to sleep, not being able to eat, or being anxious and helpless, go to a psychosomatic medicine department as soon as possible. And if you feel like it, it’s also effective to go to a calm place and do “change therapy”. Spend your time in a place with a lot of nature, where you can spend time quietly and slowly.
It is also recommended to immerse yourself in some action or work. Take time to eat rice and take time to cook. It is also a good idea to spend time slowly and carefully doing hobbies and tasks such as yoga, breathing exercises, walking, pottery, painting, handicrafts, and woodworking.
Take your time and concentrate on one thing. Enjoy the comfort and excitement that arises in your mind and body at that time. Then you can regain your peace of mind without being distracted by what is happening outside.
It is also important to maintain a stable mind by keeping an appropriate distance from sources of stress.
I think that people who have a hard time coming into contact with tragic information are sensitive and have a kind heart. I would like you to take care of yourself like that. However, if you are swayed by miserable information, you will not be able to live with peace of mind.
It is necessary to properly separate what we see and hear in the media from what we are living here right now. For that reason, if you feel that you are being swayed by tragic news or information, it is important to move away from that information. And spend your time doing something you can immerse yourself in. I think that by being conscious of these things, the mind will become easier to stabilize.