All of us seem to be on a constant search to find happiness – maybe that’s why you’ve visited this site.
But what if the source of your unhappiness was something you actively seek on a daily basis?
In case this is starting to sound like a riddle from a George R.R. Martin series, let’s simplify things:
Research suggests that the daily act of reading the news could be making you more depressed than those that choose to shun news media.
The prevalence of negative news
Research seems to suggest that there are more negative news stories than there are positive. But is this because the media is predominately negative, or because the media is giving the people what they want?
It could potentially be the latter, as some psychological studies have shown that human beings respond more to negative information than positive, and are more likely to actually share negative information than positive. One particular study at McGill University showed that participants were more likely to seek out negative news stories, leading to discussion that perhaps human beings possess a ‘negative bias’ – meaning we are more interested in the things that could be a danger to us (such as a terrorist attack or global financial crisis), than the things we perceive to be safe.
Another study in the Journal of Information Economics and Policy showed that individuals actually sought out negative news, as they felt that it was more beneficial than positive news, as it meant they were more aware of potential dangers.
What is the negative news doing to our happiness?
Consider for a moment how much more prevalent the news is on a daily basis than, say, twenty years ago. Previously, you may have read the newspaper in the morning or watched the evening news while cooking dinner.
Now, you probably read the news during your morning commute, scroll pop culture news sites while you procrastinate at work, scroll more news updates that are specifically curated for you on your Facebook newsfeed, read the tragic stories your friends have shared on their own pages, and catch some more news stories while you watch television after work (and simultaneously surf the internet on your tablet or smartphone).
We live in a news-saturated world, and it’s making us unhappy.
A 2002 study from the American Journal of Orthopsychiatry found that amongst the American citizens who watched the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on Television, there was a significant spike in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Click the image below to hear what people had to say about watching the news:
One 2014 study from the University of Toronto found that journalists who frequently witness footage of violent events (through things like news bulletins) suffered from extreme distress over an extended period of time, similar to PTSD.
This same study found that over time, individuals either became more sensitive to violent images, feeling increased anxiety and depression, or actually became desensitised, meaning they were able to emotionally disconnect.
This has begun to lead to a common opinion among many psychologists (expressed in this piece by Psychology Today) that frequent exposure to negative news is making people increasingly anxious and depressed.
The solution?
Well, the above research suggests that if you’re looking to increase your feelings of happiness and decrease feelings of stress, it could be as simple as disconnecting from the news media.
Just don’t blame us when people inform you that you’re ‘out of the loop’.
I could not refrain from commenting. Very well written!