The global pandemic has tempted the younger generations and even older aged adults to stay glued to media platforms. Understanding what constant daily exposure can do to one’s emotional wellness is key to learning the importance of how media can influence thought processes. 

Continuous viewing from morning to night can have detrimental effects on mental health. Due to COVID-19, the amount of time being stuck to the screen has become addicting and hard to control. Younger generations have discovered numerous news sources through social media platforms while continually getting educated on any current news, genuine or not. The addiction to the media has consumed peoples way of thinking, manipulating their ability to focus on new perspectives.

The question I find myself regularly asking is, in the age of the Coronavirus, how much news is too much? Before the global pandemic hit, there was a lot of shame, hypothesis, and nervousness circling around observing the news. Dr. Carole Lieberman, a psychiatrist, situated in Beverly Hills, California, centers her research around the media’s part in emotional wellness issues. Three years ago she directed an examination dependent on research having to do with the news inclusion and available review of the 9/11 assault. 

In a recent study, Lieberman stated that constantly rewatching the review of 9/11 can cause post traumatic stress disorder even to people that weren’t there to experience it in real time.  Continuing Lieberman’s study about the mental health effects of the replay of 9/11, she also strongly believes the idea that “the more of such news you consume, the more you’ll have that in the back of your mind,” Lieberman says. 

Watching the news can be helpful for many. People use news as a substitute for social media. News helps to form opinions and viewpoints that also helps to  provide evidence for future conversations or disagreements. A lot of people enjoy having the ability to introduce relevant topics into conversations with others.  Despite the benefits of the news the negatives outweigh the positives by causing significant mood changes, depression, and can generate extreme anxiety. 

Watching the news constantly can cause negative effects for one’s mental/emotional wellbeing. Continuously listening to any source of information channel while being fed data surrounding recent events can cause harm. An excessive amount of viewing  the news is reported to be the cause of one’s triggers, nervousness, or even feelings of anxiety. Taking control of the way you utilize your time on any media platform can help you stay on top of current reports while also helping to decrease any feelings of anxiety in the most effective way.