Navigating News Overload and Sociopolitical Stress: Pausing, Reflecting, and Caring for Yourself

A common theme with most of my clients is processing the challenging sociopolitical landscapes in real life and online. With the speed in which information is shared, I can totally understand how overwhelming this can be because yeah, the news outlets profit off of tragedy and there seems to be no break in the chaos. In response, some of us choose to disengage or to rush into choices that feed into a sense of urgency because of the pressure that exists to speak up, repost, march, organize, protest, research, witness, etc etc etc. 

Even in the storm of the world, pause and stand grounded in your values.

And yes, all of these actions are important to participate in to support social justice movements that are fighting against systems of oppression … and how can we care for ourselves during these moments of information overload? How can we also ensure that these movements don’t run out of steam? And how can we protect our humanity from being victims of desensitization and dissociation?

I invite you to pause. Take a few moments to engage in your own forms of breathing, check in on the parts of yourselves that are feeling activated or constrained whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually, and ask yourself what these parts are saying? 

Showing up for change starts with showing up for yourself.

Are they asking you to slow down? To move? To sing? To write? To jump? To scream? To run? To connect? To rest?

I also invite you to reflect on the things that are literally within your control. Think about the kinds of rest and meaningful activities you benefit from. If this is difficult, then reflect on what your core values are and what it can look like to embody these in our daily lives.

As a clinician, I know I don’t have the answers. But I find that reflecting on these topics can help navigate life’s multifaceted experiences with more intention and less reactivity. These kinds of reflections can help us pause, regulate, assess, and decide what we feel is best to do at this moment. 

When we care for ourselves and each other, we keep the movement alive.

As a fellow human, I personally sometimes still react to the news because what I often see is terrible and infuriating. Once one story plays, the algorithm begins to swarm my feed with more opinions, commentary, graphic images, and miscellaneous content that causes my mind to race and my heart to palpitate. I have to turn away to walk outside and listen to music. I need to plan a whimsy outing with friends to reconnect and refresh my perspective. I have to remind myself of the work I am doing. I have to be real with what is in my control. And choose how to move in a direction that can honor my work and honor my rest.

I also wonder what is coming up for you, human, as you read this piece. I hope that taking this small moment to pause, reflect, and ground yourself was able to help you refocus your energy. And I hope you took some new seeds of perspective as you carry on with your day.