02/04/2026
Living in a Constant State of Alert
It’s hard to remember a time when the news didn’t feel overwhelming.
As a therapist, I regularly hear some version of the same concern: “I feel tense all the time, and I don’t even know why anymore.” Many people can’t point to a single personal crisis. Their jobs are stable. Their families are okay. And yet, they carry a constant sense of unease—tight shoulders, racing thoughts, irritability, difficulty sleeping, or a persistent feeling that something bad is just around the corner. Enter news anxiety.
For many, that anxiety isn’t coming from their immediate lives. It’s coming from the world they’re absorbing every day through news cycles, social media feeds, and a constant stream of alerts designed to keep their attention. This is what we call news anxiety.
Managing news anxiety in a 24/7 news world can feel overwhelming. Learn strategies to cope with this pervasive stress.