{"id":12770,"date":"2026-02-04T20:39:28","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T20:39:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/?p=12770"},"modified":"2026-02-04T20:45:50","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T20:45:50","slug":"how-does-negative-news-affect-your-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/how-does-negative-news-affect-your-mental-health\/","title":{"rendered":"How Does Negative News Affect Your Mental Health?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><a href=\"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-1497754237.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-12771 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-1497754237-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-1497754237-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-1497754237-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-1497754237-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-1497754237-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-1497754237-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-1497754237-450x300.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>Current events in the news have been very tense, stressful, and depressing. The constant barrage of negative news on local and cable news stations, as well as social media, feels never-ending.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Watching or reading the news can have a negative impact on our mental health. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">When we watch news footage that upsets us, our body\u2019s \u201cfight or flight\u201d response is activated. Adrenaline and the stress hormone cortisol are released, causing us to experience symptoms similar to those we feel when we are in danger, such as a rapid heart rate, shallow breathing, and an upset stomach, among others.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Negative news can increase symptoms of depression and anxiety. According to Mental Health America (MHA), one study\u00a0found that people showed an increase in symptoms after only 14 minutes of news consumption. The symptoms worsen when people feel they have no ability to improve the situations they are learning about on the news.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As these symptoms worsen, they can cause a person to doomscroll.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Doomscrolling is when a person actively\u00a0seeks\u00a0saddening or negative material to read or scroll through on social media or news media outlets.\u00a0Doomscrolling can also\u00a0greatly\u00a0impact\u00a0your mental health as it\u00a0reinforces\u00a0negative thoughts and a negative\u00a0mindset,\u00a0and can also cause feelings of:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"2\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Apprehension<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"2\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sadness and anger<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"2\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Uncertainty about the future<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Doomscrolling\u00a0has many potential effects, including:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"3\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">May worsen mental health issues<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"3\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">May lead to insomnia<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Doomscrolling can be attributed to someone relying on social media for their news, which can drive addictive behavior. In 2020, the Pew Research Center found that about 53% of U.S. adults said they \u201coften\u201d or \u201csometimes\u201d get their news from social media. Among the social media sites where they get their news from, 36% of Americans regularly get their news from Facebook, 23% from YouTube, and 15% from Twitter\/X. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Regularly getting your news can be detrimental as clickbait headlines, mis- and disinformation, and social media algorithms are designed to keep you coming back for more, making it difficult to stop returning to apps for your news.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">People are more likely to be negatively affected by the news when it\u00a0is personally relevant to them and when they share an identity with\u00a0the people involved in the news story. This is the case\u00a0for members of the BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities because they are more often targets of violence and hate crimes.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">With all the negative news, there are many ways to support ourselves and each other\u00a0during these times, such as:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Identifying your triggers by taking time to think about the topics that cause symptoms of anxiety and depression, so you can limit your consumption of media with triggering content<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Reading the news instead of watching news videos. Studies done by the American Psychological Association (APA) show that this can be less triggering due to written news articles\u00a0containing\u00a0less\u00a0disturbing\u00a0imagery<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Limiting your time watching or reading the news. Although doomscrolling may help you feel more informed, it\u00a0ultimately does\u00a0more harm than good. Aim for no more than 30 minutes a day if possible<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Engaging in an enjoyable activity after taking in the news to help you decompress<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"5\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Getting involved with a group that is working on the issues you are passionate about can help you feel empowered to make a change instead of feeling helpless about the world around you<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"6\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Joining a supportive community of people who share a common identity, such as an affinity group, can help foster resilience and create solidarity during these difficult times of prejudice or injustice<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"7\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Being\u00a0conscious\u00a0of\u00a0where your\u00a0news sources\u00a0come from,\u00a0as some\u00a0can be more based on opinions than facts. Make sure the information\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0getting\u00a0is\u00a0accurate\u00a0and provides diverse perspectives<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"8\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Focusing more on what brings you joy and happiness, such as engaging\u00a0in social activities, spiritual practices, physical movement, mindfulness and gratitude practices, creative hobbies, journaling, or spending time with a pet<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Today&#8217;s 24-hour news cycle can seem difficult to stay clear of. If you need the assistance and support of a mental health professional at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, please call\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"tel:718-206-5575\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">718-206-5575<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0to schedule an appointment.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"disclaimer\">All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.  Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page.   You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter.<strong>  PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.<\/strong> <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Current events in the news have been very tense, stressful, and depressing. The constant barrage of negative news on local and cable news stations, as well as social media, feels never-ending.\u00a0\u00a0 Watching or reading the news can have a negative &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/how-does-negative-news-affect-your-mental-health\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":43,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,1,61,14,63,32,4],"tags":[135,226,722,2298,2235,965,120,473],"class_list":["post-12770","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general-health","category-health","category-lifestyle","category-mens-health","category-mental-health","category-social-media","category-womens-health","tag-anxiety","tag-depression","tag-health","tag-how-does-negative-news-affect-your-mental-health","tag-mens-health","tag-mental-health","tag-stress","tag-womens-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12770","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/43"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12770"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12770\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12775,"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12770\/revisions\/12775"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12770"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12770"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12770"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}