Rolling news updates, rapidly updated social media feeds, and insights into global events are readily available at our fingertips 24/7, giving us the ability to be more informed than any generation before us. Yet this constant stream of information comes at a cost.
For this year’s World Mental Health Day on 10 October the Mental Health Foundation warns that repeated exposure to distressing news, especially coverage of crises and conflicts, can take its toll on our mental health.
Constant exposure to repeated bad news can bring on feelings of overwhelm and have a negative impact on our mental health; physically, mentally and emotionally, and can lead to chronic stress if not managed. The charity is taking the opportunity to provide advice on how to deal with overwhelm from relentless bad news and protect our mental health.
The Mental Health Foundation asked members of OPEN*, (Our Personal Experience Network), an online community of 3800 members, ‘How has keeping up with the news impacted your mental health?’ Common responses included feeling anxious, upset, angry, helpless, and overwhelmed. One respondent said that “keeping up with the news has made me incredibly anxious, frustrated, upset, and angry. It’s impacted my ability to focus at work, my sleep pattern and quality of sleep, and my relationships” while another said “It has impacted my mental health negatively by focusing on world events that are sometimes quite traumatic, [it] leaves me feeling helpless and hopeless.”
Alexa Knight, Director of Policy and Influence at the Mental Health Foundation, said: “We live in an age of unprecedented access to information but that comes with a hidden cost to our mental health. When we’re constantly exposed to distressing news, whether it’s global conflicts, human rights abuses, or environmental disasters, it can leave us feeling helpless, anxious, and emotionally drained. This repeated exposure can trigger chronic stress and a sense of overwhelm, even when we’re not directly affected by the events themselves.
“World Mental Health Day is a vital moment to acknowledge this impact and to equip people with practical ways to protect their mental wellbeing. It’s okay for us to switch off, set boundaries, and take care of ourselves. This is not a selfish act, and we shouldn’t feel guilty about it - doing so helps us stay resilient and be better able to support others.”
The Mental Health Foundation has developed evidence-based tips and advice to help people prevent feelings of overwhelm in response to the cycle of bad news. These include:
- Set boundaries with the news and safeguard phone free time to avoid doomscrolling (Doomscrolling means spending a long time scrolling through negative news that can make you feel sad, anxious, or angry)
- Focus on what you can control. Take small actions that make a difference, for example volunteer with a charity or campaign for change
- Give yourself permission to rest by having time away from screens and rolling news cycles
- Connect with others. Consider how you can make things better in your local community - small acts of kindness can support your own mental health as well as those you help
- Use grounding and breathwork techniques that calm the nervous system
- Talk about how you are feeling with people you trust - World Mental Health Day is a day to talk about mental health and show everyone that mental health matters
Follow the Mental Health Foundation’s tips to protect your mental health and prevent feelings of overwhelm when bad news feels a bit too much, WMHD 2025 - tips poster
Parents and caregivers face the challenging job of protecting and vetting what their children view online. The charity has also published guidance on how to approach talking to children and young people about global events and tips to support their mental health: Talking to children about scary world events | Mental Health Foundation
Alexa added: “World Mental Health Day is a day to talk about mental health and show everyone that mental health matters. Whilst we may not have the power to influence or change everything we’d like to on a global scale, talking about how it makes us feel can help us feel connected and less alone. This in turn helps to protect and maintain our good mental health”.
For more advice and information visit World Mental Health Day and on our socials on Instagram Facebook and X where you can join the conversation #WorldMentalHealthDay
