Dealing with News-Related Anxiety
- 4NLearning
- Nov 6, 2025
- 7 min read
Updated: Nov 22, 2025
*Note: This blog post is based on a session I facilitated earlier this year.
In the past two weeks, how often have you felt anxious when reading, watching, or listening to the news?
a. Always
b. Often
c. Sometimes
d. Rarely
e. Never
f. Not applicable – I have not consumed news in the past 2 weeks
True confession: I am a news junkie. I frequently watch, read, and listen to both local and national news. Over the past several months, I began to question how my news consumption was affecting my emotions. I conducted some research and learned about news-related anxiety. That was the genesis of the session I facilitated.
What is News-Related Anxiety?
News-related anxiety is also referred to as Headline Stress Disorder.
Psychologist Dr. Steven Stosny defines Headline Stress Disorder as a psychological disorder caused by extensive news coverage. It is characterized by a high emotional response to news media accounts, such as feeling anxiety and stress.
There are four key factors that have contributed to an increase in news-related anxiety. First, through the 24-hour news cycle, news is available all day every day through various media. And the news is accessible from multiple devices. This availability and accessibility create a constant stream of updates, stories, and information which can be overwhelming.
Second, social media creates a sense of urgency and can amplify the impact of negative news and headlines. Social media also allows the immediate sharing of stories that may not be factual or are somehow distorted.
The third factor is clickbait headlines. Less reputable news outlets prioritize engagement over thoughtful journalism. They will use sensationalized headlines and images (many AI-generated) to attract clicks and make money. That makes it difficult to distinguish between important news stories and those designed to simply grab your attention.
Finally, stressful global events such as natural disasters, human-caused disasters, suffering, mass killings, wars, political upheaval, and social unrest can create a sense of uncertainty and anxiety. The constant barrage of coverage of these events can cause feelings of hopelessness.
Potential Health Effects
News-related anxiety is not currently considered to be a diagnosable mental health condition. However, the effects of it could worsen or contribute to a person’s development of a diagnosable anxiety disorder.
According to the American Psychological Association, clinicians look out for 4 symptoms in patients who describe a spiraling mindset over the news:
Intrusive thoughts about news articles or current events throughout the day
Persistent anger, resentment, or anxiety generated by reading news articles
Increased alcohol or drug use to self-medicate
Diminished interest in activities
Other potential psychological effects of news-related anxiety may include:
Strong feelings of helplessness after ingesting news
Irritability: feeling easily agitated, restless, or on edge
Worry: persistent and intrusive thoughts or concerns about various aspects of life
Fear and apprehension: an overwhelming sense of fear or impending doom
Feelings of overwhelm: a sense of being mentally overloaded
Prolonged anxiety or stress can cause the following physical effects:
Sleep disturbances
High blood pressure
Heart palpitations
Digestive issues
Muscle tension
Persistent fatigue
Weight fluctuations
Dizziness
Breathlessness
Sweating/trembling
Chronic anxiety can lead to arthritis, chronic pain, heart disease, hypertension, asthma, and peptic ulcers.
10 Ways to Manage News-Related Anxiety
The good news is there are 10 actionable strategies you can use to manage news-related anxiety.
Take control of your media diet. Be more intentional about what you’re consuming and how often you do so. Psychologist Dr. Ali Mattu suggests turning off notifications for the news apps that you follow. Unsubscribing to news alerts on your email. Try to avoid the news first thing in the morning. Starting your day with negative stories could influence your mindset for the rest of the day. On the flip side, consuming bad news right before bed could negatively affect sleep and ultimately cause more stress. Set a specific, limited window of time each day to catch up on the latest headlines or browse social media. Rather than read people’s reactions to news on social media, read the actual stories for yourself. Consider switching to print news, if possible, which is less distracting and gives you more control over what you read.
Be selective about topics. Think about the issues and topics that matter most to your life and work. Then identify journalists and commentators whose voices you trust and subscribe to their work. Allow yourself to have just a headline-level awareness of other issues unless they genuinely interest you. Focusing on and prioritizing the topics you digest may spare you some of the negative news you don't need to see and limit your news anxiety.
Go to trusted news sources, not social media. Social media feeds push shareable content – often the most emotionally-activating stories. Limit your social media visits to only those times of the day when you are prepared to emotionally deal with what you may see in your feed. Trusted news sources are less likely to create stories that get you mad, upset, etc. Focusing on those outlets that seem to provide accurate, unbiased reporting and present information objectively without excessive speculation is helpful. Developing media literacy skills can help you learn how to distinguish between factual reporting and opinion-based or inaccurate stories and conversations to find a balanced perspective.
Establish conversational boundaries. To safeguard your mental health, consider limiting the conversations you’re willing to engage in about the news and avoid heated discussions at home and at work. You decide when and where you have these conversations. I have a close friend who loves to talk about current events, particularly around politics. And I generally do as well. However, there are times when I tell him I’m not in a good headspace to discuss a particular topic, and he respects that.
Focus on things you can control. Anxiety is often triggered by feeling uncertain and powerless. To manage headline anxiety, try shifting your focus to things you can actively control. This could include getting involved with a cause you care about, diving into a new hobby or exploring new self-care activities. Which leads to…
Practice self-care. Self-care can include things like getting enough sleep, eating nutrient-dense foods, exercising regularly, engaging socially, taking part in activities you enjoy, spending time in nature and practicing relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or yoga. Find creative ways to fill those gaps when you feel an urge to reach for your phone to check news. You might, for instance, listen to a book or do a word puzzle.
Stay connected to others. Skip the doomscrolling on social media and try reaching out to your family or chosen loved ones. Getting support from others is essential for managing anxiety. Talking about your feelings may provide reassurance or a sense of solidarity. Engaging in meaningful conversations can give you perspective and potentially reduce stress and anxiety symptoms.
Look for positive news sources. To achieve balance, seek out positive or inspiring stories. Type “source of positive news stories” in Google search for resources. Try subscribing to newsletters or news outlets that prioritize uplifting stories and avoid clickbait headlines.
Transform worry into action. Focus on tangible actions that can make a difference, such as advocating for specific legislation or participating in local initiatives. Channeling your news anxiety into positive action can provide a feeling of empowerment where you once felt hopeless.
Speak with a mental health care professional. If negative news is significantly impacting your mental well-being and performance, consider seeking support from a mental health professional.
How to Support Your Team as a People Leader
If you are a people leader, here are 5 ways you can support your team when the news is negative.
Don’t pretend it’s business-as-usual. Depending on the size of your team, you can either address what has happened in a meeting or in a group email. Communicate from the heart. And provide a path forward. That might mean creating an opt-in space for people to process their emotions, offering employees paid time off if they need it, or sharing other resources or company policies that might be helpful during a time of crisis.
Make it safe to talk about identity-based issues before crises happen. Create a psychologically safe environment where your teammates feel comfortable talking about their differences and bringing their full selves to work. With that foundation of trust and understanding established, if an event targeted at a group based upon their identity happens, there will be a greater comfort level in having these more sensitive conversations. For example, if you have a Muslim teammate who doesn’t feel comfortable sharing that they are fasting during Ramadan, they’re probably less inclined to feel comfortable telling you how they feel if a hate-crime attack against a mosque is in the national news.
Create space for different reactions. Acknowledge what’s going on, but don’t ask everyone to say something about it in a team meeting. Provide other avenues for them to express themselves or not. Make it clear that your door is always open.
Intentionally let some things go. Ask each of your direct reports to come to your next 1:1 meeting with a list of everything on their plate. Acknowledge the present situation. Emphasize that you’d like to help them prioritize their work so they can achieve better balance and more easily invest in their mental health. The Eisenhower Matrix is an excellent prioritization tool. Go through each item and help them understand which ones are priorities, which can be delegated, and which can be pushed back or removed from their lists.
Help your team channel their energy towards positive change. That could mean establishing a new employee resource group, finding opportunities for the team to volunteer or make a donation to a worthwhile cause, or simply recommitting to supporting each other by establishing inclusive and equitable norms.
The news is everywhere and it’s virtually impossible to avoid. Use the strategies discussed above to manage your anxiety and support your team. 4N Learning Consultants also offers a self-paced online course you may find valuable which is designed to help you build your personal resilience. Download the course outline below.
Sources:
4 Tips to Overcome News Anxiety (YouTube video), The Psych Show with Dr. Ali Mattu
Headline Anxiety: What Is It and Ways to Cope, Stephanie Barnes (ZocDoc, 3/8/23)
How to Cope at Work When There’s a Constant Negative News Cycle, Cara Hutto, 2/2/2024
How to Keep Up with the News Without Getting Overwhelmed, Rebecca Knight (HBR, 1/14/25)
News Anxiety: How Negative News Affects Your Mental Health, Updated August 6, 2025 by BetterHelp Editorial Team, Medically reviewed by Andrea Brant, LMHC
Supporting Your Team When the News is Terrible, Mollie West Duffy and Liz Fosslien (HBR Article, 6/23/22)
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