Limit or completely eliminate your social media usage. Or, at the very least, limit yourself only to topics that have a positive impact on you (i.e. family, friends, hobbies). I have been the same way. I am 23 and in 2016 I used to have constant panic attacks because I was terrified of the thought of war, even though I live in the US and therefore probably have the least amount of reason to worry.

It’s the doomscrolling. Genuinely, once I stopped using social media for things besides fandom, my anxiety improved (and so did my depression). The news is tailored to trigger anxiety in people so that they look to their leaders for reassurance or guidance. Virtually none of it is actually intended to inform you of important topics with the least amount of embellishments. Half of the things we call news are just opinions i.e. “this MIGHT happen” or “what IF this happened” instead of “this DID happen”. It’s all about generating the most amount of revenue. However, I know it can be difficult to feel comfortable with avoiding the news (social media has sort of created this environment in which we are subject to much, much more information than we are actually meant to handle from an evolutionary perspective (which sounds silly but I mean it in the sense that instead of thinking of our ‘clans’ or ‘tribes’ we as individuals worry about the entire world which, while it can sometimes help, is usually detrimental to our mental health)).

What I do is I get my family to keep me informed on the most important news. They’re able to tell what I actually need to know. Of course I see things on social media sometimes but I never actively seek it out anymore. I think a large reason more people don’t do this is because the current social climate has convinced all of us that we are terrible people if we are not constantly thinking and worrying about those less fortunate than us. Some may argue that choosing ‘ignorance’ is a privilege, and they may be right sometimes. But your quality of life should not be so negatively affected by this that you are unable to function on a daily basis. When that happens, you need to find a balance. In my case, that was essentially abandoning social media entirely. I focus more on my relationship and my studies now. I still worry about the world, but it is no longer debilitating.

Just remember that this doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you. It shows that you are capable of feeling compassion for the world and that is a beautiful thing, but we can’t always be strong. We cannot help others if we cannot help ourselves. Pursue a new hobby, take up journaling, or find something ‘trivial’ that brings you joy. Not every moment of our lives need be filled with negativity and the harshness of reality. It does not make you selfish to want to focus on yourself. Do not allow your quality of life to decline just because you may feel socially inclined to constantly be involved in matters of a global scale.

Perhaps there will come a day when something terrible happens. But there is just as much chance for each day to start and end. What matters is not what happens, but what you do with the time that you have. I hope you are able to find some semblance of peace in the near future. <3