How to improve your mental health? Take a break from news

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
15 Oct 2022 23:48

One of the questions involved the participant reporting on his mental state, and if despondent, they were asked how they would cope with such feelings.

Taking a break from the news can improve mental health, study finds

CNN reported on Saturday that a new study from Spain, which has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, revealed that constant consumption of news coverage can have a negative impact on mental health.

The research was taken during the height of the pandemic between 2020 and 2021, and its researchers found that the best way to alleviate feelings of anxiety and depression was simply to take a break from the news.

The research hasn't been published yet but will be presented this weekend at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology in Vienna.

"The best predictor for having lower anxiety and depressive symptoms" was to "avoid watching too much news," said lead study author Dr. Joaquim Radua, a psychiatrist in Barcelona, who is also affiliated with King's College London and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.

Considering the specific timeframe this study was carried out, it was unclear how the results would apply as coronavirus cases continue to decline.

But others believe there's only so much negative news coverage a person can take before it takes a toll on their mental health.

"There's an endless availability of information," said Lindsey McKernan, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville who was not involved with the new study. "Without putting the brakes on it yourself, you can just keep going and keep reading and become more stressed."

The study involved the participation of 942 adults in Spain who filled out an online questionnaire every two weeks for a year during the pandemic.

One of the questions involved the participant reporting on his mental state, and if despondent, they were asked how they would cope with such feelings.

The analysis factored in whether participants had been previously diagnosed with anxiety or depression.

Those who avoided "too much stressful news" had fewer signs of anxiety and depression, the study revealed.

Another important factor the study considered was maintaining a healthy diet.

"Taking care of our body is something we can control," McKernan said. "That develops a sense of what's predictable and can help with stress."

Likewise, spending time outdoors, exercising, and staying hydrated were linked with lower levels of stress, anxiety, and feelings of depression.

Radua further added that the research took note of the specific times when participants got Covid, which they all did. However, getting Covid didn't affect the results as much as watching excessively too much news did.

On March 2, it was reported that the COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on mental health, according to the WHO, which reported that incidences of anxiety and depression surged by more than 25% globally.

The World Health Organization also reported in a new scientific brief that the COVID-19 pandemic has hampered access to mental health services in many situations and prompted worries about an increase in suicidal tendencies.