If the news these days overwhelms you, you’re hardly alone: America is as politically polarized as ever. Almost every day, there’s a new controversial Cabinet pick from President-elect Donald Trump. There are drawn-out wars in Ukraine and Gaza, and here in the U.S., somesay we’re on the edge of a looming class war.
In short, we are living in bizarre, capital-letter Unprecedented Times. If you’re able to block it all out and not take on the stress, you’re lucky.
A week after Trump won the election, independent journalist Marisa Kabaswrote on Bluesky about how frenzied the news cycle makes her feel.
“There has to be a better way than sounding an alarm every single time a deranged Trump-related story drops,” she said. “It’s unhealthy and unsustainable. We need to find a way to stay informed without spiking cortisol and without losing sight of the bigger picture. I’m just…not sure how.”
A month later, Kabas says she’s still considering this question.
“When there’s a deluge of really intense news, I know my instinct is often ‘make it stop.’ But since I know the news is never going to stop, I’ve been trying in those moments to think instead of momentarily putting it aside,” said Kabas, who publishes The Handbasket, a newsletter about politics, media and power.
Kabas think people need to remind themselves that just because news is available to them at all times doesn’t mean they’re required to consume it. You can gauge your personal limit and clock out when you need to.
“This isn’t to say ignorance is bliss; at this really scary moment in history, some tolerance for distress is required to avoid being complicit in allowing this country to passively slide all the way into fascism,” she told HuffPost. “But if you’re overwhelmed, choose a few outlets you trust and read them as often as you find tolerable.”
What other steps can you take to manage the emotional impact stressful news has on you? Below, we asked journalists and others who work in news-heavy fields how they cope.
Responses have been lightly edited for clarity.
Touch grass. (In other words, go outside and maybe take a walk.)
“When I feel overwhelmed by the news, one of the most grounding things I do is take a step back from consuming media and reconnect with nature and my community. It’s so easy to get caught in a doomscroll spiral, but stepping outside and being present with people who lift you up can make a world of difference. For me, that often looks like hitting a local trail with my queer chosen family. We hike, talk and hold space for each other as we navigate these challenging times. It’s a reminder that even in uncertainty, we have the power to create moments of connection and care. Community is everything, and it’s essential to seek it out and nurture it, especially when the world feels heavy.” ― Jake Young, the communications and culture director at Brave Trails, a national nonprofit that offers leadership summer camp for LGBTQ+ youth
Choose a few issues you’re interested in and keep your news intake limited to those.
“One approach is to choose an issue or two that matter most to you and stick to news on those topics to avoid the sense that all the news is bad. I’ve found that can be more mentally manageable and also helps you become more learned in specific areas. Win/win.” ― Kabas
Focus on things that bring you joy, give you perspective and that are in your control.
“I step away from the news and focus in on the things in life that bring me joy (my infant son, my wife, our friends and family, music, running), give me perspective (the woods, the ocean, our long history as a resilient and adaptive trans community), and that I can control (how I show up for myself, my family, and my community, and the contributions I make every day in ways big and small to the collective and enduring effort to create a more peaceful and inclusive world). It’s important to remember that we are never alone in experiencing life’s challenges, nor are we solely responsible for fixing them.” ― Kasey Suffredini, chief officer of prevention at The Trevor Project, the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ young people
Continue to pay attention to the news, but balance it out with some lighter content.
“Much of my journalistic work revolves around covering war, Palestine, the Israeli genocide in Gaza and related issues, so it’s heavy and emotionally taxing day-to-day work. I encourage people not to disengage from grim news — it’s a luxury many in the world simply don’t have — but instead add some non-work elements to their media diet. In the last months, I’ve really enjoyed the TV series ‘Shrinking’; it’s witty, moving and beautifully observed. More of this, please!” ― Antony Loewenstein, independent journalist, filmmaker and author of the global best-seller, “The Palestine Laboratory”
If there’s an issue in the news you feel impassioned about, look for organizations or groups you can get involved with to help.
“It’s one thing to stay informed, it’s another to passively consume bad news until you’re mired in depression. Instead, I treat the news as a call to solidarity. There are grassroots organizers who are on the front lines of the world’s worst crises. They’re rising to every challenge that hits your screen, and when you support that work, you make a difference — both for your own mental health and for the people building real solutions.” ―Yifat Susskind, the executive director at MADRE, a nonprofit that works to eliminate violence targeting women, girls, and LGBTQ+ people
Read something that goes deeper on the subject in the news.
“This may be a little bit antithetical, but the easiest way for me to cope with an overload of troubling information is with even more information. If I find a specific news item particularly upsetting, I drill down as much as possible on the topic. In recent weeks, I’ve become an accidental expert on both Russian nuclear protocols and the Department of Commerce. We’re burdened with too much always-on information, but we also live in a time when tremendous resources are available to help contextualize and even defuse distressing news. A deep dive on Wikipedia or a few academic journals is a pretty good antidote to Twitter doomscrolling.” ― Evan DeSimone, a writer and media commentator who runs the Substack Media Happy Hour
Set a bedtime for your phone.
“I put my phone on the charger in the kitchen at 8 p.m. and don’t look at it again until I come downstairs in the morning. I also try to focus on what I can control and find moments of gratitude for the small things that bring joy throughout the day — playing with my kids, warm coffee in the morning, a walk around the block in between work calls.” ― Sara Walsh, the chief operating officer at the National Organization on Disability
“I try as hard as I can to set aside some time to log off and put my phone somewhere I can’t easily access it for at least an hour a night so I can spend time with my family and try to be in the moment. This is easier said than done, especially during an election year, but I find I feel a lot better when I can’t check my texts or scroll through Twitter or TikTok — it’s worth trading off a fleeting second or two of boredom. I also try to read novels or something that isn’t nonfiction/reminding me of the news cycle before I go to bed every night.” —Ej Dickson, a senior writer at The Cut