As far as the headlines go, 2020 took the world on a rollercoaster ride. 2021 is no different. With the onset of the second wave, which has proven to be much more lethal than anticipated, news channels, blogs and websites have spiraled in all directions. Not just the fatality of the virus, but the domestic, economic and human crisis, ever-increasing chaos in the global environment and multiple such incidents have shaken everyone to the core.

Now, yes, it’s crucial to stay updated on current affairs. But to what extent? Continual exposure to negative news has been linked to traumatic episodes in individuals. Various studies conducted by BBC suggest that news holds the power to shape a person’s mindset, his beliefs to a great extent. Same is the situation in the country right now.

Media houses strewing newspapers and web articles with haunting images of people dying on the roads, succumbing to death due to lack of medical supplies is not what anyone needs in such a situation. Worst of all, people are somehow, still managing to propagate their political agendas. The psychology of ‘negativity bias’ states that one tends to pay more attention to all the unfortunate things happening around, and this quirk has managed to get the best of people. In the pursuit of news, an individual subconsciously leaves himself vulnerable to all the negativity and lets it scar his perception.

And while nobody can, nor should stay under a rock, it’s important to find a middle ground. Keeping a tally on the daily rise in cases isn’t necessary. It might end up doing more harm than good. Instead, opt for authentic, unprejudiced and nonchalant sources. Signing up for ‘positive news’ can be a great way to marginalize the detrimental effects of mainstream news as well as to maintain a healthier outlook towards the world.