Antidote for Daily Deluge
Take a 'time Out'
I had an intense “need to know” moment after writing last week about our inundation of 24/7 bad news. Replies I received from readers highlighted how so many of us conscientiously seek ways to mitigate the effect our always-on news feed delivers. Some folks retreat to activities that deliver personal gratification; others step out to help someone in need or engage in positive social activities. These conscious efforts to (temporarily at least) rise above the downers of a now-typical news day are all good – and advised by mental health experts.
Still, I wondered why such continuous input can move in like an unwanted relative who won’t leave your spare bedroom. And I developed my own theory. It may be, I thought, that we are hard-wired for survival – it’s how we made it from the caves of Olduvai to the Silicon Valley. Our earliest ancestors, 2.58 million years ago, had to recognize numerous threats and embed them in memory. The faint sound of something moving in the brush. The flapping of wings in the sky or movement in tall grasses meant Pleistocene humans were in danger from a super predator like a Crowned Hawk Eagle, or a crocodile the size of a Tuff Shed, or (my favorite nightmare) a 30-foot Madtsoiid snake.
Constant demand to be on alert both day and night surely created a dominance of fear in the developing human brain – it’s why I’m here writing what you’re reading here today (thank you). Of course, I quickly discovered plenty of expansive theories about the adaptive, survival-oriented development of our early ancestors. And yes, my armchair theory is pretty right on. The fight or flight syndrome survived the eons from Homo Habilis 24 million years ago to Homo sapiens and the digital age.
This (and many other evolutionary adaptations, of course) protect us from harm – though we are generally past the era of carnivores the size of a two-bedroom house. Of course, our human environments are radically different than they were back in the days when the danger of being eaten by a Homotherium – resembling a lion whose canine teeth were seven inches long. But, somewhat ironically, while we no longer face the daily risk of being eaten alive by a critter in our neighborhood, we’ve got plenty of threats to trigger fear and anxiety. Fortunately, our wired information age not only delivers news that lights up our survival instincts, it also offers avenues for control and escape when needed. Currently, that’s almost every day for me.
Israel, Palestine, the U.S. Congress, politicians acting like grade school bullies, banned books, biased news – sadly, the list goes on. At the same time (if we seek it out), there is good news to be had, but that requires personal initiative – it’s not spoon-fed to us by competing news sources. It’s up to each of us to trigger the dopamine and endorphins that bring us calm and a sense of well-being. There are plenty of suggested ways to get into a positive frame of mind. The first is, of course, to limit exposure to the news. Pick a time to get your fill and then shut it down. Avoid either starting or ending your day with a news feed. Ditch apps that deliver downers and news notifications. Don’t worry – you won’t miss a thing that’s not available at another time. News happens (and is repeated) without our attention. Here are a few simple strategies to protect and defend a healthy state of mind.
Some call for developing practices like mindfulness, meditation, and yoga. I don’t know about you, but none of these remedies work for me, although I can intellectually understand why they should – the techniques are not just mental meandering. They have verified physiological effects that can change a person’s outlook. Override the fright, flight, freakout responses that took us from caves to college.
I’m more drawn to active remedies like taking long, energetic walks and saying a surprise “Good morning” to folks I don’t know. Or turning on some loud music and dancing around the kitchen. Also, there’s nothing that takes a person’s mind off very bad human behavior than to commit some good behavior. Help a neighbor, take part in a beneficial community organization, go to the supermarket, and say something nice to three strangers. Volunteer for a cause or organization that touches your heart – doing positive is a requirement for feeling positive. Set aside time for something you enjoy – a project, a hobby, a passion, a person who always makes you feel good.
Let me add a final incentive to selective news consumption. We are being manipulated to consume bad news. None other than the big brains at the Pew Research Center reveal that “…8 out of 10 Americans get their news from a digital device.” Their researcher further showed that “negative content drives engagement.” And (surprise) this finding led to social media (like Facebook and others) to deliberately ”promote negative news stories” that readers then share. It’s all about eyes and dollars, francs, rupees, pounds, and ougiya (which, as you know, is currency in Mauritania).
According to millennial expert and author Dr. Goali Saedi Bocci, the impact of this planned attack on our well-being is serious and leads to “irrational patterns of thought that create a false picture of reality, potentially resulting in poor decision making, and feelings of panic and despair that can cause or worsen anxiety and depression.” I don’t know about you – but I resent being manipulated. Time to log out!
Thank you for being with me - Let me hear from you at darby@darbypatterson.com. Here’s some nice feedback from last week’s column. The writer lives on an island in the Pacific: “I was lucky this past week to have the terrible news overshadowed by family members visiting to celebrate my 80th birthday. Sister, daughters, spouses, and grandkids flew from around the US to my island home. A beautiful beach house, catered dinner, "Patsy trivia" night, and dolphins escorted our sunset sail. The morning started with lots of laughs, as I entered in my 'old lady' costume with cane and squeaky voice. Family love and memories are the best antidote to anything!”
Furthermore - For more balance, here’s an uplifting good news story!