How to Intentionally Consume Media: Promoting Emotional Resilience
/We find ourselves in a time when it has become increasingly challenging to ignore the elephant in the room - that is the state of the world and our country. For some time now, it has been a commonplace experience for many of us to wake up to yet another breaking news headline that often has our jaws on the floor and leaves us feeling quite vulnerable and heavy inside. Ironically, a lot of us sometimes find ourselves unable to stop the infamous doomscrolling (repeated, compulsive, algorithmic content consumption) and put our devices aside. It’s a vicious cycle.
We may not have the ability to click a button or to snap our fingers to enact the change that will bring us relief or a renewed sense of safety and security, but we can change how we engage with the content presented to us in a way that does not lead to existential dread, helplessness, and hopelessness about our current sociopolitical circumstances.
The research
Research has consistently documented the negative association between doomscrolling, or daily media consumption, and mental health symptoms, such as anxiety, stress, depression, reduced resilience, and lowered life satisfaction. Some even report effects on sleep, focus, and mood. Conversely, positive content was shown to have more positive effects, such as fostering joy, relief, and even resilience or hope. Positive content may include, but is not limited to, comical, meaningful, or uplifting posts or reels on Instagram or Facebook, as well as online supportive communities, such as the local Good Dads of Lancaster or Lancaster Tribe Walk, both on Instagram. This kind of media consumption has the potential to empower us to take control of our online experiences and create a healthier balance for our overall health.
Reducing the undesirable behavior
In many cases, behavior modification requires more intentional work beyond just “stopping”. I often tell my clients that if you want to see a reduction in undesirable, ineffective behavior, you must replace it with something more desirable, or positive! So, if you want to reduce how much time you are spending doomscrolling on your phone, what can you replace it with? It can be as simple as switching to more positive content as described above or reading a book that has been sitting on your shelf all winter, or picking up a new hobby, like diamond painting, or cross-stitching, OR now that the weather is getting warmer, sitting outside with that book or taking a walk that promotes bilateral stimulation, which helps to reduce emotional distress and process traumatic experiences.
Something to consider
If you have gotten this far in my blog, you may be saying to yourself, “but what if I want to stay informed? I don’t want to be ignorant to what is happening in the world.” Fair enough! You deserve to know what the heck is happening in your community, in your country, and the world. Nonetheless, I encourage you to consider your role. Ask yourself some or all the following questions:
What do I need to know to stay informed?
What do I need to know to support those I love and care about?
How will this information help or benefit me?
How will I use this information?
For instance, if you are a teacher, you may want information to know how to best support your students and colleagues.
Another piece to consider is when and how long you are consuming heavier content. One way to promote balance is by designating one to three specific times a day to catch up on the news and other content. Another idea is to limit these periods of time to 10 or so minutes by setting up a timer, adjusting screen time settings on your smartphone, or downloading an app like Brick or Bloom that are designed to limit, block, or incentive access to distractions. This way, there is more structure to media consumption that prevents you from falling into the spiral of doomscrolling.
An invitation from your therapist
Politics has historically been regarded as a “taboo” topic in the therapy space. However, when it begins to affect your everyday personal life and the life of those you care about and love, therapy does become political and cannot be ignored. So, this is an invitation to find a therapist and talk to them about what concerns you. In a world full of chaos, scary changes, and events, you deserve to have a space where this is safe to talk about. Not sure where your therapist stands? Don’t hesitate to explore that with them. Ask what their limitations might be. Again, you deserve to feel safe and comfortable talking about the things that matter to you most in a space that belongs to you.
If you are experiencing anxiety, distress, fear, sadness, isolation, or helplessness surrounding current events and want support taking back control of media consumption, reach out!
Our therapists at The Counseling Collective would be honored to work with you! The mental health therapists at our office offer counseling for a variety of issues including trauma using EMDR, depression, anxiety, grief, and couples counseling. We work with kids, teens, adults, and couples. We also offer online counseling services which can be great for people with busy schedules or for people who live in parts of Pennsylvania with limited counseling options. You can check out our website to see the full list of counseling services that we offer. Or, Schedule An Appointment here.