The infinite news cycle the brain cannot finish<\/p>\n
\u00a0Unlike traditional news cycles, digital information never reaches a stopping point. And the human brain begins to struggle.\u00a0Dr Kirin Hilliar, professor in psychology at the Heriot-Watt University and psychologist at OpenMinds Centre, explains that the structure of online information itself creates the feeling that we must keep checking for updates and news. <\/p>\n
She observes: \u201cI think the really hard component with online information is that it is constantly updated,\u201d she says. \u201cYou can refresh literally every second and there’s more news, there’s more information, there are more posts, there’s more stories and there’s more comments for you to read.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0The constant stream creates a psychological loop. \u201cWe can get into this spiral thinking that ‘oh, I should keep myself informed and so if there’s new information and I should consume it, consume it, consume it, consume it,\u201d she explains. \u201cBut that means you never can stop because you literally will never consume all of the information that is out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Why your brain keeps reaching for your phone<\/p>\n
\u00a0Moreover, the urge to constantly check updates is also rooted in basic survival psychology.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Nusrat Khan clinical psychologist at Human Relations Institute And Clinics at Dubai,\u00a0says many people are experiencing what experts call \u2018emergency vigilance.\u2019 \u00a0\u201cAs of today we are all navigating a huge regional escalation,” she says. \u201cSo, it’s very important to understand the psychology behind this emergency vigilance.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0Before crises, people often doom-scrolled because of curiosity or habit. However, now the motivation is different.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cIt’s not about the FOMO or this fear of missing out,\u201d she explains. \u201cIt’s actually about FOMA, that’s fear of missing an alert.\u201d<\/p>\n
And so, we need to realise: Our phones are not going to give us the regulation or any sort of protection that we need.<\/p>\n
The hidden toll: Digital siege mentality<\/p>\n
\u00a0As you keep consuming information, the repeated exposure to alarming content can slowly exhaust the brain. Khan describes this as a \u2018digital siege mentality.\u2019 We live a vicarious trauma: The sirens and \u00a0notifications, creates a certain neurological pattern.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Even attempts to stay responsible and verify information can become draining. We need to keep fact-checking, and that stress, causes cognitive burnout.\u00a0 The result is a state of constant nervous system activation.<\/p>\n
\u00a0As Dr Khan says, when we cannot control the sky, we want to control the screen.\u00a0 But that constant vigilance comes at a cost. \u201cHyperfocusing on the screen will deplete the resilience that you need to stay calm and for your work, as well as your survival.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0The brain also struggles to distinguish, between what is happening in real life and what it sees online. \u201cThe nervous system cannot distinguish between a perceived threat and an actual threat,\u201d Dr Khan says. \u201cIn that state, the nervous system will take the perceived threat as the real one.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0And so, even ordinary sounds feel alarming, perhaps something like a garbage truck can trigger you too. \u00a0In this environment, resilience is not about staying online. \u201cWe\u2019re living through a period of immense pressure,\u201d she says. \u201cOur resilience won\u2019t be measured by how much screen time we consume.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Essentially, what matters more is protecting the nervous system. \u201cThe phone is just a tool, not a master, and we cannot be a slave to it.\u201d Moreover, realising that stepping away from updates is not denial, it\u2019s also about preserving your mental health. \u201cIf we step back, we aren\u2019t being uninformed, we are giving our system time to regulate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Warning signs your brain needs a break<\/p>\n
\u00a0Psychologists say certain behaviours indicate the brain is under digital stress. The red flags: dissociative scrolling, where we lose hours to social media, for starters. <\/p>\n
\u00a0Other symptoms can include:<\/p>\n
\u2022 feeling hollow or disconnected<\/p>\n
\u00a0At its worst, the overload can affect decision-making.<\/p>\n
\u00a0And that’s why, experts say people should prioritise basic safety instructions over information overload. \u201cFollow basic safety protocols, like seeking shelter, or staying away from windows as instructed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Practical ways to stay informed without overwhelming your brain<\/p>\n
\u00a0Psychologists say the goal is not to disconnect from reality, but to control how information reaches you.<\/p>\n
Set fixed times to check the news<\/p>\n
Dr Hilliar suggests scheduling specific check-ins. \u201cSo let\u2019s identify three time points during the day, 9am, 12pm and 6pm.<\/p>\n
\u201cIdentify the sources you want to check, like government identities, reliable news channels and your community WhatsApp.\u201d Then limit the duration. \u201cGive yourself a time, probably 15 minutes, till the next allocated time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0This helps calm the brain\u2019s internal alarm system. “So, the brain knows \u2018I don\u2019t need to consume all this information, I can just sit with the information\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0Dr Khan recommends removing unnecessary alerts. \u201cKeep only the official apps,\u201d she says. Mute community news, if you can. <\/p>\n
Ground your body during stressful moments<\/p>\n
\u00a0Simple sensory techniques can help regulate the nervous system.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tactile anchoring, is helpful: It’s where you use five senses to ground yourself.\u201cWhen you get a direct alert, keep a cold bag with you, a grounding technique.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0Change how you check on people<\/p>\n
Communication can also shape emotional resilience. “When you check with your friends, don\u2019t ask \u2018did you hear\u2026\u2019,\u201d Khan says. \u201cInstead ask if they\u2019re okay, and this builds collective resilience.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0Protecting your mental space<\/p>\n
\u00a0In moments of uncertainty, staying informed matters. But psychologists say how we stay informed matters even more. \u201cOur internal nervous system is just as important right now, and we need to protect our own mental space,\u201d Dr Khan says.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Sometimes that means closing the news app, or putting the phone down. \u201cDon\u2019t let your phone become a window to the storm,\u201d she explains. \u201cAnd focus on the safety of the people in the room with you.” <\/p>\n
Lakshana is an entertainment and lifestyle journalist with over a decade of experience. She covers a wide range of stories\u2014from community and health to mental health and inspiring people features. <\/p>\n
A passionate K-pop enthusiast, she also enjoys exploring the cultural impact of music and fandoms through her writing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The infinite news cycle the brain cannot finish \u00a0Unlike traditional news cycles, digital information never reaches a stopping…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":335290,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[163,85,46,522,523],"class_list":["post-335289","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mental-health","tag-health","tag-il","tag-israel","tag-mental-health","tag-mentalhealth"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335289","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=335289"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335289\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/335290"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=335289"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=335289"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=335289"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}