In the era of 24/7 news coverage, it’s hard to avoid reading or watching about current events. It’s also important to know how much impact these stories can have on your mental health and what you can do to protect yourself.
Whether it’s through a newspaper, tv program, or social media, news coverage can create anxiety around issues that might not affect you directly in the moment. It can also make it seem like there are more bad things happening in the world than good ones.
News stories can create heightened fear and worry about natural disasters or terrorist attacks. While these events are statistically unlikely to happen, constant exposure makes them feel more real and immediate, which can increase your stress levels.
The media plays an important role in shaping attitudes and behaviors, including altruistic behavior during times of crisis. It’s essential for media entities to balance reporting on critical issues with positive, uplifting content that inspires people to help in humanitarian efforts.
Research has shown that the way a story is constructed can influence a person’s perception of the event or issue. The interviewees, information quoted, selection of images and editorial comment can all work together to construct a specific way of understanding a topic. For example, a news story about migration might imply that migrants are seeking a better life or economic advantage and blame Britain’s welfare system for allowing them into the country. This polarises the debate and legitimises organised scepticism over key scientific arguments.
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