Protecting the brain against bad news
A growing number of disasters and crises in our country and all around the world reach us through news outlets, which causes us to consume more and more negative news. Some psychologists say that improving optimism could help strengthen the brain’s defense against bad news. Nevertheless, it might be challenging to resist the urge to consume negative news.
Cecille Ahrens, Director of Transcend Therapy in San Diego/California, says “In an evolutionary sense, we have been developed to scan and guess the danger, and that’s why keeping our fingers on the pulse of bad news may be making us feel prepared for negative possibilities.” It may be necessary to follow the news, particularly in times of crisis. However, Ahrens say that the feelings of fear, sadness and anger triggered by negative headlines might lead to a worse and anxious state of mind by keeping individuals stuck in a “constant mode of watching”
Doomscrolling
This negative spiral, which has been recently named “doomscrolling”, can damage mental health. Pieces of research associated the consumption of bad news with increasing distress, anxiety, and depression, even though the news in question is relatively ordinary. According to Graham Davey, a retired professor of psychology from the University of Sussex, being exposed to bad news can further worsen personal concerns, or even lead to “acute stress reactions, and some symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder which last for quite a long time”
Normally, the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) of the brain updates the beliefs that are based on new information, while selectively filtering the bad news. This optimistic bias is a consequence of the tendency of the people to assume that they will live longer than their peers or have fewer accidents. A stronger optimistic bias, on the other hand, seems to be providing health benefits. Optimists have a better physical and mental health, and they are more resistant compared to pessimists, though they evaluate the risk less accurately.
The brain’s bad news filter shuts down when under threat
Scientists of the University of London turned optimists into pessimists temporarily by suppressing the IFG activity. It was found that the brain’s bad news filter shuts down when under threat. This is a helpful trait in life-or-death situations, though a self-defeating one when triggered by a disaster.
Some researchers claim that increasing optimism could help people better cope with bad news without fully coming into contact with them. A cross-cultural piece of research found out that optimists, individuals with a high level of overall confidence, and those who don’t believe in conspiracy theories have less fear compared to pessimists while consuming information about the pandemic, and that they have a higher possibility of keeping track of the public health measures.
Optimism protects against negative psychological effects
Another recent piece of research found out that optimism protects old people from obsessively looking for medical information and from the negative psychological effects of this behavior. According to the authors, it is required to think of ways through which optimism can be improved, considering this benefit of optimism during the current pandemic. For instance, previous research put forward that optimism and coping skills could be improved by participating in social events, religious activities, social support and physical activities, or a gratitude practice.
Davey recommends selective news participation: It is recommended to watch the news only at specific hours of the day, and to do some activities that would boost your mood after consuming the news, such as listening to some upbeat music, doing any type of exercise, or having a warm, relaxing shower.
Furthermore, research show that optimism is improved by positive psychological interventions, such as keeping a gratitude diary, or dreaming about the best future self. In a trial carried out in 2017, patients with heart disease who also underwent a training on optimism reported constant improvements in optimism, hope, satisfaction with life, and anxiety after two and four months.
REFERENCES:
– Blades, R. (2021). Protecting the brain against bad news.
