THE EFFECTS OF NEGATIVE NEWS T hey S ay I gnorance I s B liss … B ut I s I t H ealthy ?
It’s nearly impossible to log on to social media or turn on the TV without seeing something distressing. Instead of dwelling on what’s troubling, let’s focus on how to protect our mental health. The Psychology of Bad News A study by Psychology Today found what we already knew: People feel sadder after watching negative news than positive news. Got it.
But here’s what we didn’t know: People who watch negative news feel worse about pre-existing worries than people who watch happy or neutral events. That means people watching the news don’t just feel anxious about the world, they feel more anxious about their own lives. British psychologist Dr. Graham Davey, who specializes in the effects of media violence, says negative news can affect how you interact with the world. As you consume threatening news, you’re more likely to spot threats in your day-to-day activities that aren’t there, which leads to anxiety. Another recent study found that the journalists themselves who are constantly exposed to graphic images score higher on PTSD, depression, and alcohol consumption than the average American. Why Is the News So Negative? As news media revenue goes down and people become desensitized,
news organizations feel the pressure to show emotionally relevant material, such as crime and accidents. At a basic level, for something to be “newsworthy” — negative or not — it needs to be the exception to the rule, not the norm. That means watching the news might give you an inaccurate view of what daily life is like in the world. How to Fight the Negativity It’s important to understand important issues of the day. But when the news becomes too much, psychologists encourage you to take a break with some good news — or no news at all. Your TV might have you think the only three events in the world are war, crime, and sports. But advances in medicine and technology happen all the time! Seek out those stories or take a break from news altogether. That’s when no news can become good news.
Teresa’s Metamorphosis
A J ourney W ith C omplex R egional P ain S yndrome Teresa Bloomer came to NSI Stem Cell Clinics for the treatment of complex regional pain syndrome. She has several autoimmune diseases, osteoarthritis, and a minor traumatic brain injury. For the past six years, she has known little more than pain.
instead of having to endure it. I’ve been living my life moment by moment. I’m having to endure things instead of enjoying things and being present.” “The pain in my body has diminished, and I’m not on a bunch of medications,” she continues. “I feel like a little
“I was on a bunch of different medications, which were helping, but I felt like I was completely clouded,” she says. “I felt very disconnected from my life and from myself. I just wasn’t happy.” Looking for solutions, Teresa made an appointment with NSI. “I had a back surgery that was scheduled, and I put off the back surgery to have the stem cell [treatment],” she says. “Three days later, this pain that I’ve had in my neck, that I was getting ready to have the surgery for, was gone!”
Hope
caterpillar turned into a butterfly. I feel this metamorphosis going on inside of my body. Every day, I wake up and I feel better.”
“I still have neck pain, but it’s manageable,” Teresa says. “Within days, I wanted to walk with my kid and play with my kid —
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