March 13th, 2025
By: Leanne D. Rondeau, Clinical Psychologist
What do we control? What do we not control? How can we be well-informed but not overexposed to the uncertainty we hear of in the news?
In a recent interview with Radio Canada, Dr. Christine Grou, President of the Order of Psychologists of Quebec, outlines some important ways to take care of our mental health which has been challenged by the increasing political instability reported in the news since the beginning of this year.
First, she says, it is important to remind ourselves that anxiety is a normal phenomenon in uncertain times. Indeed, not to feel anxious at all in uncertain times would be worrisome. Many factors can affect our level of anxiety in relation to the current political instability, she states: if we tend to be anxious in general; our past experiences; or if we will be directly affected to lose our income due to the context. People living alone also may feel more vulnerable as they can have a weaker social support network.
The first suggestion she gives people is to establish certain limits or ‘life hygiene’ when it comes to how much news they consume: take a break from the news. When we are anxious our brains lead us to be hypervigilant, she explains. We have a tendency to think that we need to get more and more information as if this will help us. But in the end, it does the opposite. When we over consume news it sends a message to our brains that there is nothing else out there: there is only uncertainty and unpredictability.
More than ever, she explains, it is important to go to good, reputable news sources once or twice a day, and do other things in between. The idea is to give yourself the message that life goes on and there are other things in life to enjoy: to get out and get some sun, listen to other things, socialize and have some fun. In any case, she states, more information will not give you more control over the situation. What we do have control over is how we are going to plan our day, our weekends, our vacations, etc. The goal is to be well-informed but not overexposed. A healthy dose of information about the current situation, she underlines, gives us control over the situation, but too much takes it away.
She concludes by outlining how it is important for parents to manage their anxiety in order to be able to reassure their children who are hearing more and more about an “economic war” in school, and can often imagine a war with guns and violence. Instead of giving them a course in economics, she recommends that parents use the opportunity to ask their children what they understand about what is happening, and to reassure them by outlining what actions the family is taking, for example to buy locally, and to explain that all world leaders are concerned about these issues and are working on it.
You can listen to the original interview with Christine Grou on Radio-Canada here:
Protéger sa santé mentale face à l’actualité, avec Christine Grou
https://ici.radio-canada.ca/ohdio/premiere/emissions/midi-info/segments/rattrapage/2012132/proteger-sa-sante-mentale-face-a-actualite-avec-christine-grou
