The End Is Near! (of doomscrolling, that is)

Distractions are easier to find than ever, with phones in our hands all day, every day. The constant urge to check the latest news often leads to stress and anxiety, without much payoff.

Studies show that frequent news consumption, especially about crises, increases feelings of anxiety. By limiting news intake, you can reduce emotional strain and focus on the present moment, leading to improved productivity, creativity, and a greater sense of accomplishment.

Cutting back on news also helps you build emotional resilience, prioritize mental health, and create a calming routine—especially before bed. Engaging in activities like reading, meditation, or stretching can improve sleep quality.

By limiting news consumption, we regain control over our information environment. Setting boundaries around when and how often to check the news can help reduce mental clutter and increase focus.

Here are some tips to get started:

• Set specific times to check the news.

• Stick to a few reliable sources.

• Use apps to limit time on news sites or social media.

• Unfollow accounts that post distressing content.

• Seek out positive news.

• Pay attention to your emotional response to the news and adjust accordingly.

Reducing news consumption isn't about avoiding reality—it's about finding balance and prioritizing mental health. By creating space for mindfulness and reducing stressors, you can reclaim a sense of calm, clarity, and well-being.

Anxiety, Then & Now

Back in the day

Thousands of years ago, the anxious human was the one who survived. She nervously scanned the horizon, perhaps all day, and was the first to see the predator creeping over the hill. Later, while her more laid-back neighbor was becoming a source of protein, our anxious, prehistoric friend was surviving another day, and able to bequeath her nervous genes to many of us today. 

Simply put, the abundance of anxiety that was essential back then is (usually*) no longer useful in modern life, and it can actually keep us from living the way we want.

With that historical context in place, hopefully you can begin to go easy on yourself about your anxiety. Our species wouldn’t be here today without it.

So what can you do about it today?

Working with anxiety in therapy often involves first learning to calm the body. That’s half the battle. We must remember that our head is part of our body, and relaxing physically usually leads to relaxing mentally. One effective way to relax the body is the practice of progressive muscle relaxation, which is quick and easy to learn. Equally, diaphragmatic breathing encourages the body to slow down and relax, all by engaging the parasympathetic nervous system. I teach these skills to all my clients struggling with anxiety. And once you learn these skills, you have them for the rest of your life.

Once the body has calmed, even a little bit, there is often enough space to explore thoughts and feelings that may be driving the anxiety. Talking about these with a nonjudgmental, empathic therapist is often followed by an enhanced understanding of the issues that trouble you, as well as a sense of ease. And here, too, I like to teach my clients skills to take home. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) skills are easy to learn, and then all you need is a pen, a piece of paper and the will to use logic as a way through your anxiety.

So don’t be too hard on yourself if feeling calm doesn’t come naturally to you. We modern humans come by it honestly. And we can do something about it!

*Anxiety is normal and even helpful if a lion (or lions) is running toward you.