After nearly two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, as news headlines began to look just a little kinder than they’ve been, yet another anxiety-provoking event took center stage as Russian troops invaded Ukraine on February 24th, 2022. 

While watching the events of the invasion play out on television or in newspaper articles does not in any way compare to the experiences of those living through this scary and uncertain time, headlines of destruction, political instability, and international tension can be distressing to many. 

In this article we’ll discuss ways to manage news related anxiety and Russian-Ukrainian crisis stress. Keep reading to find out how to:

• Relieve news anxiety around the Russian-Ukrainian conflict
• Limit news media while staying informed
• Know what your limit is for news
  

Coping with stress around the Russian-Ukrainian conflict

Even far from the conflict, headlines regarding the Russian-Ukrainian conflict can be distressing and overwhelming. 

The invasion of southern Ukraine by Russian troops on February 24th heightened anxiety across the globe as images and videos of terrifying destruction hit the newsfeed. While images of bombings and headlines detailing tragedy and mentioning war can be extremely distressing, there are some things that you can do to help manage news anxiety and stress. 

Generally, psychologists recommend many of the following things for managing news anxiety when the headlines become too overwhelming:

• Replacing the time spent scrolling through the newsfeed with time outside.
• Practice gratitude and mindfulness.
• Reach out or try to provide help to those who are most impacted. 
• Take a step back from headline hysteria and catastrophic thinking.

Take a walk outside

Disruptive and devastating events can unfold extremely quickly with new updates every hour or more. While it can be extremely tempting to stay glued to the tv or news app when these events are taking place, time spent glued to the screen can be detrimental to your mental and emotional health. 

It’s perfectly normal to want to be in the know when world-changing events are happening. There’s a lot of uncertainty in those times and it’s a natural part of being human to seek certainty or stability in tumultuous times. The only problem with this urge is that it’s not always possible to get the reassurance or sense of stability that you may be searching for. So, you may as well go for a walk. 

Walking outside, even for a brief fifteen minutes, has been shown over again to help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and can help to reduce negative ruminations in the mind. While your house may feel like your place of comfort, humans evolved in the great outdoors and often it is nature that is the best at calming our alert little lizard brains when our anxiety levels spike. 

Aside from reducing anxiety, here are some other benefits of a daily walk outside:

• Improved sleep
• Increased energy and stamina
• Improvement in mood
• Reduced tiredness or fatigue
  

Practice gratitude and mindfulness

While getting outside is a great way to reduce anxiety or relieve stress about news headlines, anxiety doesn’t always hit you at a time when you can get up and go on a walk. When this is the case, practicing meditation and mindfulness are good ways to relieve stress. 

Mindfulness works to bring you back to the present moment, letting go of the fears for the future to acknowledge and remind yourself that in the present moment you are safe. Whether you practice meditation, yoga, or find mindfulness and peace through prayer or other faith practices, refocusing on your present moment can help to relieve stress and anxiety brought about by news headlines. 

If you find it difficult to quiet your mind long enough to get to a place of peace, there are many podcasts and apps created to help you find some peace of mind. 

Reach out and provide to support to those who are impacted

In the days and weeks following the Russian invasion of the Ukraine, many expressed their own fear and hopelessness felt while watching the attacks unfold. While everyday civilians have little control of the political movements of the government during large-scale conflicts such as the one between Russia and the Ukraine, there are things you can do to help on an individual level. 

Whether you know someone personally who is from the Ukraine or someone who has family there or can connect to human rights organizations in your area to help provide aid, seemingly small things like donations of money or supplies can be greatly beneficial for those directly impacted by those being targeted. 

It’s also important to remember that it’s ok if you aren’t able to donate money or other goods. Reaching out to members of your community who are impacted by devastating events, whether that is the Russian-Ukrainian conflict or another event, may not seem like a big thing but it can go a very long way for anyone going through a scary and uncertain time. 

Step back from hyperbolic headlines and catastrophic thinking

Staying engaged and informed on local, national, and world events is important but it should be done thoughtfully. It’s important to remember that while many news organizations are meant to inform citizens of issues impacting them, they are also designed to make money.

The headlines are designed to grab your attention so that you read the article and in uncertain times like these they can do more to incite fear than they do to give you information quickly. These attention-grabbing headlines can cause people to catastrophize and spiral into all kinds of “what-if” scenarios. 

That’s why it’s important to limit your consumption of the news and step back from the need to follow every story. Set aside ten or fifteen minutes, maybe even less, to read through the news and then move on with your day. Acknowledge that headlines may not always be an accurate summarization–in fact they often aren’t–of the story to which they are attached. 

Finally, remember to be gracious to yourself and others during uncertain and scary times. When tensions rise and fear feels heavy on our shoulders it can be easy to take out that fear on those around you as well as yourself. 

Take a deep breath, turn off your phone, and do something that brings some calm to your mind. Better yet, do something kind for a stranger and know that even during difficult times there will always be helpers doing good work. 

If you or someone you know is dealing with overwhelming anxiety or debilitating depression, reach out to a healthcare professional or therapist to pursue professional help.