Americans have been experiencing a continuous increase in news-cycle induced stress since 2016.
According to a Pew Research Center survey of more than 12,000 U.S. adults, in 2016 59% of Americans reported feeling exhausted by election news coverage.
In 2018, the number rose to 68%. The political climate intensified amidst the 2020 election, providing Americans with little relief despite the outcome.
After the election, just 17% of American adults said their level of stress had decreased, while more than a quarter (27%) said their stress had increased, according to a survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the American Psychological Association.
The Harris Poll also conducted a survey based on the nation’s stress response to the COVID-19 Pandemic which followed after the divisive election.
According to the survey, nearly one-third of adults, and 48% of teenagers said sometimes they are so stressed about the coronavirus pandemic that they struggle to make basic decisions, such as what to wear or what to eat.
In 2022, as the COVID-19 Pandemic has reportedly reached a turning point in the US, seeing a decline in active cases and hospitalizations, the Russian Attack on Ukraine has sparked yet another source of stress in the endless news cycle.
While each individual news story has invoked its own stress upon the nation, what has left Americans feeling exhausted and powerless is the accumulation of events, and constancy of reporting.
The American Psychological Association found that one in 10 adults checks the news every hour, and 20% of Americans report “constantly” monitoring their social media feeds, regularly exposing them to news headlines.
Sharon Braun, PhD at Cape Girardeau’s Community Counseling Center says social media and the growing accessibility to information has contributed to the new fatigue Americans of all ages face.
“With social media, you're seeing a lot, but you're also reading in excess. In some situations, and depending on the ages, teenagers, maybe even younger, would be using social media too much, and some of the information is even false, it's damaging, but their minds are not processing in the way that an adult would,” said Braun.
Braun explains that language, and imagery in news, in combination with personal opinion cause reactionary emotions such as stress.
“It absolutely takes a toll on our mental health, because oftentimes, not just the words that you read, but as words are spoken, then you develop an image in your head, and those images in themselves will tell a story and will have some kind of an effect on you,” said Braun.“You may feel anger, the feelings that manifest are dependent on every individual and how they process information, whether you agree or disagree [with the news]. If you're on your iPhone, whatever kind of communication, there's some kind of an effect going on, and sadly, oftentimes, it can be depressing.”
Braun emphasized the struggle to find a balance between being knowledgeable and overwhelming your mental clarity.
“You have to find out what's happening here, what's happening there, and some of it is informative, but some of it is, I would say, just worthless,” said Braun.
Braun states that the constant desire to keep up with the news cycle can even be compared to a form of addiction.
“From what I've seen, and kind of what I've read, and it's oftentimes in excess and, you know, that does have an effect on you and there's a reason why you keep going back to it,” said Braun. It might be for some kind of support, but it can also almost be like an addiction, to where you can't put down the phone.”
Braun spoke on the specific mental effects caused by war, and how individuals may be feeling currently in relation to the recent attack on Ukraine.
“The higher the incidence of war, the higher the prevalence and effects of physical and mental distress and illnesses for adults or adolescents for children, and our warriors as well. A sense of helplessness overshadows one's sense of being. Anxiety, depression, confusion, psychological trauma, sleeplessness, and uncertainty will most likely have an effect on most everyone,” said Braun.
Braun concluded by saying that if individuals are overwhelmed while consuming news, resorting to natural emotional relief or coping mechanisms such as crying, and speaking with friends and family, are the healthiest, and often most beneficial options available.
If you or a loved one are experiencing distress from recent world, country, and regional events, call the SAMHSA national mental health helpline at 1-800-662-4357.