Headlines these days are hard to stomach: federal troops in major cities in the United States, the assassination of a political activist, rising calls for civil war, free speech threats, immigration raids, and runaway costs for food, housing and healthcare.
The drumbeat of distressing news can feel like an assault, even to the steeliest among us. But experts say the barrage of bad news does more than fray nerves. It can harm our health.
The body on stress
Chronic stress over things beyond our control — traffic, a difficult boss, or the daily news — spikes the stress hormone cortisol in our bodies. Stanford University neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky, author of "Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers," says while that stress response once helped humans and animals react to immediate danger, the difference today is that people rarely get a break.
“Humans are perpetually living in anxiety,” he said.
Unlike a zebra chased by a lion, which either escapes or doesn’t, humans stay in fight-or-flight mode. The result: stress-related illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease. Prolonged stress also reduces empathy and tolerance, and makes people less willing to see another person’s perspective.
UC Irvine nursing and psychology professor Alison Holman adds that repeated exposure to tragedies — like the Boston Marathon bombing or the Orlando nightclub shooting — can cause what she calls collective trauma. Early symptoms resemble post-traumatic stress: intrusive thoughts, avoidance, hypervigilance and a sense of being constantly on edge.
The toll of polarization
America’s deep political divides are compounding the stress. Holman says political turbulence correlates with spikes in mental health issues. Polarized elections themselves have been shown to raise cortisol levels.
During the 2020 election, Holman found worry was linked to a 12% higher risk of new health problems. And it was higher for Republicans than for Democrats, meaning there were worse health consequences for the party that lost. Racism and political marginalization also have measurable effects: after the 2016 election, preterm births among Latina women rose.
For San Diego independent voter Hally De Groot, the constant stream of grim headlines is overwhelming.
“It just hurts thinking about what individual people are going through because of all of these things and the way they’re being covered,” she said.
Sometimes, she cries from the stress. But she doesn’t turn away from the news. Instead, she vents to family and friends, shocked by the complacency she sees around her.
“We have gotten so kind of just docile and complicit with the idea that politicians will also solve this for us,” she said.
Another local voter, Josh Bell, said the coverage hasn’t been enough to rouse Americans from inertia.
“There’s not a healthy level of stress to really bring out a change, which is the problem,” he said.
Still, the headlines have left him anxious, numb, and questioning his future in the U.S.
“The uncertainty, the lack of unity,“ he said. “Yeah, it seems to me that the United States is almost crumbling in some sense.”
Coping with the deluge
Experts say there are ways to protect your mental and physical health from the onslaught. Sapolsky recommends practicing gratitude, meditation and exercise.
Holman advises people to pay attention to their emotional state when consuming news. If you feel overwhelmed, step back.
“Monitor how you’re feeling,” Holman said. “If it’s too much, take breaks and take deep breaths.”
