How to read the news as an HSP (without falling apart)
Hello! I’m Bronwyn, an HSP therapist based in Madison, WI. I work with women who live in Wisconsin, Greater Boston and throughout Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia. Today I’m talking about the issue of what it feels like to take in the news: overwhelming.
Reading the news as an HSP overloads your empathy
As a Highly Sensitive person, you probably spend a lot of time thinking about what the world could be, what will make the world a better place, what will help people stop suffering. And, if you are suffering yourself, this becomes overwhelming.
This is another opportunity to practice being kind to yourself and getting what you need.
That kind of self care gives us the stamina to know what is going on around us, not ignore it but take in meaningful and calculated amounts, and to have the ability to figure out the realm of our responsibility and scope for action.
News can be particularly overwhelming for Highly Sensitive People. It’s often full of atrocities and things that make you want to tear your hair out or crawl in a hole. Social media becomes your worst nightmare of dehumanization, and the news is not far behind.
While hearing and seeing cruelties upsets most people, keep in mind that there is a biological reason that doing so causes you more distress. HSPs have more mirror neurons, which are how the brain feels empathy. You have more capacity to feel the pain of other people, so it follows that you are more affected by news stories.
Being informed is important - you want to know what’s going on so that you can do something about it. So how to stay well-informed without curling up in a ball?
How to read the news as an HSP Tip #1: Choose your news sources wisely
Which news sources sensationalize? Which ones prioritize the news you want to hear? Which ones make space for hope? Which ones center voices that are typically not heard? Social media can be our biggest help and our worst enemy here - if you’ve watched The Social Dilemma you already know this. Watch out for sources that promote fear, polarization, dehumanization.
How to read the news as an HSP Tip #2: Read it, don’t watch it
Even if it’s not the news, visual intake is the biggest cause of sensory overload. Your HSP brain needs a lot of processing capacity to take in sights. With the news, this is amplified because it connects to your empathy. Seeing people hurt, hungry, and desperate only spurs you to feel the same. You don’t need to see photo and video footage of things in order to stay informed. Reading about it still prompts your empathy and need to process, but it’s not as intense.
How to read the news as an HSP Tip#3: Control your intake
You don’t have to absorb every awful detail in order to stay informed. Remember that those terrible details affect you more than other people. There’s a reason they can lay you flat in a heartbeat - you have more mirror neurons. Consider whether you really want and need to read something first. If you do, try reading only the headlines of particularly upsetting stories. You could even find a good news article for every bad one.
A good way to increase your control of what you are reading is to disable notifications. This also has the benefit that you’re not facing multiple unwanted interruptions throughout the day. In addition, assess which kinds of news stories are most important to you. Is there an issue that is close to your heart?
Do you like to stay informed on what’s happening in your local community?
How important are hopeful news stories to you? Where can you get the kinds of news that you are looking for? Just because the headlines say it’s important doesn’t mean it’s important to you. Take some time to decide what you take in.
How to read the news as an HSP Tip#4: Anticipate the jolt
Taking in any news could be difficult and jarring. Plan ahead to accommodate this. Make sure you do it at a time of day when you have space to recover (not right before bed). If you are feeling particularly frazzled, skip it. It will be there tomorrow. If there is a story you’re following that is particularly close to heart and also distressing, remind yourself that you’re allowed to take a break.
How to read the news as an HSP Tip #5: Gift yourself with kindness
Do something nice for yourself after you take in the news. As an HSP, this is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. And remember that self care doesn't have to be something you buy - ask yourself what you need after you read the news: a stretch? listening to your favorite song? taking the dog for a walk? It doesn’t have to be complicated or take a long time, it just has to pay attention to what it is that you need.
Give your excellent attention to yourself like you do to others.
And, even if you do all these things, you might still find yourself wanting to pull out your hair or hide in your room. It’s not that the reactions to injustices will go away. But, you will just be able to manage them better once you get clear on what you need and getting the needs met.
I love supporting HSPs to feel control over their news intake, and in life.
A Clinical Social Worker and owner of Bronwyn Shiffer Psychotherapy based in Madison, WI, I provide online therapy for women living in Wisconsin, virtual therapy in Massachusetts and telehealth therapy in Washington, DC. In addition to HSP therapy, I also provide counseling for anxiety and therapy for depression.