Less news

Based on the idea that 'you cannot close yourself off to the suffering that is happening in the world', many people watch more news than is good for them. Being confronted with all the misery over and over again can reinforce the feeling of powerlessness. Research has shown that the feeling of powerlessness inhibits the immune system. 

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“It's not just traditional news programs that instill fear and despair; stories of tragedies, traumas and threats dominate all kinds of media. In fact, a 2014 study of American adults found that the best predictor of anxiety and fear was the amount of time people had spent watching talk shows.” (McGonigal 2015) 

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Did you know....?
A shocking study found that people who watched six hours or more of news about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing were more likely to develop post-traumatic stress symptoms than people who were actually present at the bombing. (McGonical 2015)