You know the feeling. There's a major news event unfolding halfway around the world, and suddenly you're glued to your phone. One scroll turns into 20 minutes, then an hour. Your heart rate climbs. You feel helpless, angry, maybe a bit numb. Then you check again.
This is more common than you might think. According to research on Australian residents during the 2023-25 Middle East conflict, women showed increased panic disorder symptoms compared to before the conflict started. But it isn't just about geography. Anyone witnessing repeated atrocities can experience vicarious trauma, regardless of where they live.
The real culprit might surprise you: it's not the news itself, but the way it reaches us now.
Why your brain is stuck in threat mode
Our brains are wired to detect potential threats, an instinct that once helped our ancestors survive. But in today's 24-hour news cycle, this same response can trigger persistent stress. Each headline about suffering, conflict or danger can trigger real physiological responses as if the threat were happening in your living room, releasing stress hormones that cause a faster heartbeat and breathing changes.
When exposed to intensive media coverage, acute stress symptoms can emerge in people, including anxiety, sleep disturbances, intrusive imagery, and heightened perceptions of threat. This is especially intense on social media, where algorithms don't just deliver news—they amplify it.
The algorithm problem
Here's where it gets tricky. Social media algorithms often amplify emotionally charged content, meaning people may repeatedly encounter graphic footage or alarming headlines. This phenomenon, sometimes called "doomscrolling," keeps the nervous system in a prolonged state of alert.
The business models of most social media platforms rely heavily on user engagement. The longer people stay on their platforms, the more advertisements they see and the more data is collected on their behaviour. This creates a cycle where emotionally charged content—often involving negative or anxiety-inducing information—is repeatedly pushed to users, encouraging them to keep scrolling.
The cruel irony? People have a question, they want an answer, and assume getting it will make them feel better. Yet many think scrolling will be helpful, but they end up feeling worse afterward. Studies published in peer-reviewed journals have linked heavy crisis news consumption to higher levels of anxiety, depression, and existential anxiety—a feeling of dread that arises when we confront things beyond our control.
What experts actually recommend
The good news: there are evidence-based ways to stay informed without becoming overwhelmed. Experts advise people to refine their consumption to a particular platform and organisation to prevent overwhelm. Just one half-hour news bulletin a night is more than enough for people, or a daily newspaper or even one radio current affairs program.
Research suggests that aiming for a maximum of 30 minutes per day spent consuming news is advisable, with some evidence showing that as little as 10-15 minutes can have a negative impact on mood. It's also recommended to avoid looking at the news at least one hour prior to bedtime, as this can impact your sleep.
One practical approach is to avoid using apps or social media sites for your news. Instead, log on to your local news station or a trusted outlet, and then try your best to avoid any of that material on your social media application.
Beyond cutting back
If simply limiting consumption felt easy, mental health professionals would have an easier job. The reality is more nuanced. Staying glued to the news can increase our anxiety in the long term because it contributes to the false belief that if we just gather enough information, we can stay in control. In reality, the more we seek certainty about the future, the more anxious we feel because it is simply not possible to predict exactly what will happen or when uncertainty will resolve.
So what helps? Feelings of distress can sometimes result in something positive—from getting involved in advocacy, joining a social or political organisation or just contacting lawmakers. This shifts anxiety into agency. Rather than passively scrolling, you're acting on what matters to you.
Writing about what's happening can help your brain look at your role in a new way. There's a lot of research from the mental health literature on people writing their own narrative and how it can shape how we view ourselves and our own agency. Writing about your values or the ways you're showing up for the people in your life might be steadying when things are difficult.
Remember: You're not alone
It is normal for people to experience stress and anxiety when feeling that the world has descended into chaos. Fear, sadness, confusion are very normal reactions to very extreme circumstances. People shouldn't feel guilty, or feel like it's wrong to feel anxiety. It's a very normal human response.
The difference between healthy awareness and harmful obsession comes down to one thing: control. You can control how often you check your phone. You can control which sources you trust. You can control when you step away. That's where your real power lies.