6. Do a cognitive appraisal: When we consume alarming news, our primitive brain naturally prepares our mind and body to protect ourselves and our loved ones. It then manifests in the form of stress and anxiet6. y. The mind also does this by going into negative thought patterns and scans for worse case scenarios. When we are aware of how news affects us, we can then asses the validity of our thought patterns. Mindful exploration of our thoughts often reveals that they are usually not an accurate representation of reality. 7. Interrupt Anxiety with Breath: We will inevitably have moments when the news triggers us. During these times, we can practice deep and slow breaths to communicate to our minds and body that we are not ramping up to fight or flee. On average, humans take 12-25 breaths per minute. When we are anxious, the number can go up to 30. We can interrupt this cycle by consciously slowing our breathing to 12 breaths per minute by inhaling for 4 secs and exhaling 8 secs, apart from communicating to your mind and body that there is safety to breathe leisurely. Slow breathing like this triggers your vagus nerve to produce "vagus stuff," a substance that lowers your heart rate activates the parasympathetic nervous system and helps you calm down.
When Communicating the News to Others Ask Yourself:
Why are you sharing? When it comes to social media, we tend to over-post. Take a moment to ask yourself, "why am I sharing this piece of information?" This can help you be sensitive and responsible for how your message affects your audience, whether close friends and family or more distant connections.
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2. Are you conveying panic with the information? Human emotion is exceptionally contagious. When we are panicked or stressed, we quickly communicate it to others. The collective panic only amplifies the feeling. Therefore, before communicating with others, we must address our emotions, for instance, by practicing deep breaths as described above. And often, we will find that when we calm our nerves, sharing the information might become altogether unnecessary. As social beings, we experience emotions more fully when we share it with others. However, during uncertain times when we are feeling heightened fear, we must be responsible for both our own and others' emotions. Now is a time when we are collectively fighting the same battle. People all over the world are striving for the same goals of safety, health, and well-being. During these times, if we all take responsibility for how we spread the news, we can help alleviate unnecessary stress.
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