Headlines making you anxious? Here's some stuff you can control

There’s been loads of stuff to feel anxious about lately and it feels like there's been one wave of bad news after another. There’s the rising cost of living, climate change worries and a whole load of other heavy difficult headlines. Yeh, things feel shit right now, so we’ve put together some stuff that might help. However bad things are, we’re here, united.

The last couple of years have been weird to say the least. It’s been a tough, anxiety-inducing time, so it’s not surprising if it's all feeling a bit much. While you can’t control a lot of what’s going on, here’s some stuff you can control.

UNITED AGAINST DOOMSCROLLING

It’s good to stay in-the-know about what’s going on in the world, but sometimes you need a break from bad news.

As humans, we’re hardwired to pay attention to the bad stuff, so even when we’re mindlessly scrolling through Instagram, our brains are subconsciously sucking up all those negative vibes. It can really take its toll on your mental wellbeing, impact how you sleep and eat, and just leave us feeling a bit meh. So if the headlines are making your head hurt, try these:

• Limit the time you spend with your head in the news – a quick 30 minutes or less on the headlines is probably enough.
• Balance bad news with positive news, or just some lighter content (there’s nothing quite like otter taps to cheer you up).
• Avoid checking your phone right before bed if things feel too much and remember, you control your social feed. Unfollow, temporarily block, or just turn on focus-mode if you need a break.
• Sometimes news gets muddled or messed with as it travels down the grapevine, so if you want to fact check that story your auntie shared on Facebook, try this tool.

UNITED AGAINST IGNORING YOUR WORRIES

Allowing yourself a moment to scream into a pillow, or just sit and reflect is okay.

It’s fine to have a lot of different feelings about everything going on, but worries can quickly stack up and take over. We know it’s not as simple as saying “don’t worry”, but there are ways you can minimise the worries that seep into things like your work or down time:

• Mates are amazing medicine, so put in some time for a call, or meet up at your local to put the world to rights.
• It sounds a bit weird, but schedule in time to worry. In that time, write down all the things which are playing on your mind – whether that’s on paper or the Notes bit of your phone. It doesn’t matter how big or small they are, just get it all out.
• It’s easy to get stuck in a whirlpool of what-ifs, but these are normally the worries you can’t control. Try to let them go.

UNITED AGAINST FEELING HELPLESS

We might not have a hold of the world’s steering wheel, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t small things we can do to feel more empowered.

There’s always going to be a level of uncertainty in life, but that doesn’t mean we have to leave everything up to chance. Taking back a bit of control, can make you feel a bit better about the things going on in the world right now.

• That might mean giving meat-free monday a go, or donating to a charity that’s helping to do something about the things you care about.
• Life’s getting increasingly expensive, so If money-pressures are mounting up, look at cancelling subscriptions, eating at home more, or walking/car-sharing to work. You can find out about getting help from your local food bank here too.
• If things are feeling overwhelming, try writing down a to-do list. Crossing things out can help you feel more in control.
• Get out and do something you enjoy, whether that’s playing football with your mates or sprinting off some stress at your local park.

UNITED AGAINST FEELING ALONE

When everything around you feels like a lot, it can seem like you’re on your own, but CALM’s got your back.

No matter how heavy it all feels, you don’t have to struggle alone – life can be miserable, but it doesn’t have to be. Whatever’s on your mind, whether it’s the world’s or your own problems, reaching out can really help.

Our website is full of ways to stay connected – whether you’re looking to join one of our clubs and connect with your community over something you love, or you want to take your mind off things by taking action for CALM.

You’ll also find extra support in CALM guides, where we dive into things you might be going through and ways to move forward, from anxiety and depression, to support after suicide. We have lots more information and resources here, including the CALM helpline.