Enter social networks right now – or read a newspaper – involves constant exposure to misfortunes. One after the other. On the one hand, the terrible news about Ukraine, accompanied on many occasions by images that we cannot get out of our heads for weeks. On the other, the constant fear of shortages, the rise in the price of absolutely everything and, if there is room left, new threats of an imminent return of the large numbers of COVID infections.
The bombardment of catastrophic and dramatic news is such that it makes us want to never go near a telephone, computer or newspaper again. But, at the same time, we can’t stop looking and watching the news. If they make us feel so bad Why do we have this constant need to be informed? Why do we spend hours and hours scrolling the screen of our mobile to continue absorbing information.
A report by the American Psychological Association found that more than half of the US population said the news caused them stress, anxiety, and even trouble sleeping. However, 1 in 10 adults reported checking the news at least once an hour and up to 20% indicated that they constantly check their social media feed where they can see lots of news. What phenomena are behind this need to be informed even if it causes us discomfort?
FOMO could be one of the explanations
In recent years, new words or acronyms (almost always in English) destined to explain common phenomena, which are not new, but which did not have a commonly accepted name until now, do not appear. This is the case of FOMO, Fear of Missing Out in English or, what is the same, fear of missing something. This applies, especially, to the field of social networks and technology.
Basically it would be the need to be permanently connected, informing ourselves and communicating with others digitally so as not to miss anything. But not only that, but research on the matter indicates that FOMO would also trigger compulsive behavior in order to stay connected.
One of the problems associated, precisely, with FOMO is a greater risk of suffering from anxiety, depression and a lower perception of quality of life, in addition to a greater time of use of telephones and other internet connection systems and social networks.
Some research has found that 50% of the analyzed population suffered from FOMO at least once a month and 15% claimed to suffer from it weekly. It is not surprising, therefore, that many of us live hooked on the telephone and social networks and we cannot stop informing ourselves even if it makes us anxious.
We resort to doomscrolling to reduce uncertainty, but it works poorly
During the pandemic we began to hear about the “doomscrollingor “doomsurfing”. It is a term used to describe the need that some people have for constant information – especially about negative news -.
The difference with FOMO is that it is not done as a way to be permanently connected and not miss anything, but as method to try to reduce uncertainty and fear that the news of misfortunes such as the pandemic, the war, etc. They can generate us. The problem is that, although at the moment it may seem to help, in the long term it does not seem to be the most adaptive option to calm us down or alleviate our fear.
And it is that, although at the moment it can give us a certain sense of control, this is unreal. In fact, much of the information we find by doing doomscrolling it is negative and can increase our discomfort and anxiety levels.
What is in our power to get away from information overload
We know that trying to stop constantly reading the news and seeing information about the situation would probably help us to have less anxiety. The problem is that it is easier said than done. Otherwise we would have stopped by now.
One of the things we can try is to carefully select the channels through which we inform ourselves and, above all, set time slots to do so. Can establish a fixed schedule in which we can watch social networks and news. It is possible that, to begin with, we need to put on two or three time slots a day and then gradually reduce until we are left with only one.
Changing the time we use to be connected for different activities such as spending time outdoors, going for a walk, reading a book, meeting family and friends, or starting a hobby can also help. The more time we spend doing things that we like and give us satisfaction, the less time we will have to dedicate to social networks.
If we saw that we are not capable alone, we can always seek professional help that gives us the necessary tools to find more adaptive ways to deal with uncertainty and the need for connection.
In Vitónica|War between Russia and Ukraine, pandemic, economic crisis: why current events trigger our anxiety and how to manage it
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