To tune in or tune out? That is the question many of us struggle to answer. Whether it’s headlines that produce a daily dose of angst or tensions in our relationships that send our anxiety levels on a joy ride, there are stressors in our lives that are hard to ignore. It’s important to stay abreast of current events and maintain connections. But how much is too much? How do we acknowledge when we’re too entrenched and too emotionally affected—and what can we do about it?
Ashley Troszok, a Licensed Master Social Worker with Balanced Life Counseling & Wellness, weighed into the conversation with some practical advice.
Take the temperature.
Oftentimes, it’s the “what ifs?” that drive our internal narratives. Those could be triggered by reading a dramatic news story or anticipating a heated exchange with a friend or loved one.
“When we start to feel ourselves catastrophizing, it's important to be able to recognize it and to check in with ourselves,” Troszok said. “Anxiety is really good at taking us into the middle of the woods and just leaving us with all those thoughts. So, we need to be able to take ourselves through the woods; try to see what’s on the other side, find a middle ground, and consider that there’s as much possibility of a best-case scenario as there is a worst.”
Be curious.
When we start to spiral into worry or doom and gloom, we aren’t necessarily thinking clearly. It’s at that moment that we need to take a pause and try to find the facts. The unknown and the perceived (but perhaps ill-gotten) known can be our worst enemies—especially when algorithms can trap us in an echo chamber.
The argument for staying informed when the information coming at us is overwhelming is that facts are powerful.
“Focusing on what we know without the influence of emotions can bring anxiety down,” Troszok explained. “We don't want to just take what we hear everyone else saying. We have to ask questions, be diligent in our research, and, when possible, quell the spread of misinformation.”
This inquisitiveness can not only help us regain emotional control; it also strengthens our critical thinking skills.
Use grounding techniques.
Perhaps the facts or the scenarios are as bad as we thought they might be. What then? Dwelling on that reality won’t improve our mental health. And protecting our wellbeing is what sets us up for weathering the challenges that may be ahead.
Troszok notes the 5-4-3-2-1 method as an effective tool for rooting ourselves in the present moment. That means taking a breath, engaging the senses, and naming five things we can see, four things we can feel, three things we can hear, two things we can smell, and one thing we can taste.
“This activity can bring us back to the present and create some distance between what we were thinking or feeling—and make space for regulation and resetting,” she said.
Journaling can also be grounding. Identifying what we’re feeling and expressing it on paper can get it out of our heads. And, it can aid in processing our emotions, noticing our triggers, organizing our thoughts, and, ultimately, putting us in a mindful state. If journaling doesn’t appeal, then just talking with someone we trust can release tension. Sometimes that someone should be a professional.
“If it's hard to get out of bed, if it feels like too much to do our daily routines, if we’re in a constant state of worry, those can all be indicators that therapy could be helpful,” Troszok said.
Establish limits.
We often think of boundaries as what we set with other people in our lives. This is crucial in circumstances where our personal relationships might be threatening our wellbeing. But we can, and likely should, set restrictions with our media consumption, as well. Especially if we notice we’re having strong feelings while scrolling on social channels or reading a news article.
“That's a pretty good cue we need to take a break from it,” Troszok said. “Move on to something else, switch to a different channel, find something that's funny or less serious—so that, again, our brains have a break from all the heaviness and sensationalized, emotionally charged information.”
Allison Kay Bannister has been a West Michigan resident since 1987 and a professional writer since 2002. A GVSU alumna, she launched her own freelance writing business in 2017. Allison is a cookie connoisseur, word nerd, aspiring gardener, and metastatic breast cancer thriver who loves traveling in Michigan and beyond, and enjoys art, world cuisine, wine, music, and making homemade preserves.
This article originally appeared in the Spring ’26 issue of West Michigan Woman.
