COPING THROUGH CRISIS: the Dark Side of News and Doom Scrolling STRIKES BACK!
For Angelenos in the media, film and tv industry the devastating LA fires has a surreal quality to it: the news is the stuff of Hollywood Blockbusters. I’m Gen-X so any minute now I expect Harrison Ford (an actual search and rescue helicopter pilot) to appear in the skies and drop gigantic bombs of water onto the fires and save the day. In reality, I see exhausted firefighters on the news and my social media feed is flooded with heartbreaking GoFundMe’s from my friends and colleagues who have lost everything to the fires.
The Dark Side Awakens: Doomscrolling Strikes Back! Are you feeling the pull of the dark side, endlessly scrolling through news and chaos? In this episode, we uncover how doomscrolling wreaks havoc on your mental and physical health—and share Jedi-approved tips to resist the urge and restore balance to your galaxy. Will you conquer the dark side or let it consume you? 🌌✨ #ResistDoomscrolling #TheDarkSideAwakens #MentalHealthJedi
We are all on edge. Some of us have been devastated by loss. For those of us who haven’t evacuated (yet) our bags are packed, and we’re clinging to the news and social media because our lives could literally depend on it. When the fires started, we were all texting and sharing (not always accurate) news updates in a frenzy desperate to stay in the know on the latest breaking alerts.
Take control of the narrative – during a disaster we must be mental health Jedi’s. When we resist being overwhelmed by the Dark Side: anxiety, depression, anger, depression, grief – we can better serve ourselves and our loved ones as the calm, steady hero we all need to survive the on-going crisis.
(Sign up for crisis alerts, but don’t let it take over your life. You can find a list of relatively reliable alerts check here.)
The unfortunate reality is that LA Firewatch 2025 is turning into a marathon: binge watching the relentless disaster is now as toxic to our mental health as the air outside is right now. So, have you unwittingly gotten hooked into the Dark side?
The Dark side of Disaster News and Doom Scrolling:
1. Increased Anxiety and Depression: Clinical studies reveal that people who consumed more news during times of crisis, like natural disasters or political upheaval, were more likely to report feelings of anxiety, helplessness, and distress. It even increased the long-term risks of depression and PTSD.
2. It can literally make you sick: Stress and anxiety, makes it harder for your brain to unwind... especially if you’re waking up every hour to check your phone for alerts. This heightened state of alertness can interfere with your body's natural sleep cycles and, over time, lead to increased risks of mental and physical health issues, including weakened immune function and chronic fatigue.
3. Diminished Mental Clarity: As a reality tv Executive Producer/coach, I know the media, especially social media often prioritizes likes and views over facts. Too much of it and you’re basically drunk on misinformation. In this high-stakes situation, you need to keep your mind clear and able to discern the facts. Especially when it comes to say… the harrowing alert many of us got in LA to evacuate that turned out to be a false alarm.
4. Social Media Echo Chambers: Social platforms can amplify fear and panic. The more you scroll, the more likely you are to encounter more disturbing and misleading information.
We’re all feeling helpless right now and eager to be of service to others. Before you can do anything, you’ve got to get right with your emotions. It may seem small in the face of the real hero’s fighting these fires – but not every Superhero has to wear a cape. If focusing on staying calm and steady is all you have the bandwidth to do, that still makes you a Yoga and that is more than enough. Reframe your story and be the Hero Los Angeles needs right now.
Now Los Angeles is literally burning to the ground. As of January 11, 2025, the LA area has burned a staggering 36,685 acres (roughly 57 square miles). For context:
· Manhattan is about 23 square miles; the burned area is more than twice the size of Manhattan.
· San Francisco covers approximately 49 square miles; the area affected by the fires is larger than the entire city.
· Boston spans about 48 square miles; the burned area about 19% larger than Boston.
Reports are conflicting but somewhere between 150,000 - 180,000 people have had to evacuate. Friends and colleagues of mine—who incidentally, are not wealthy celebrities with four other homes—have lost everything. It's heartbreaking.
Like many of you, the Producer in me was already always hypervigilant. Now I have plans and back up plans should I need to evacuate. I barely sleep, I just rest my eyes with “one ear open” to the chime of a possible evacuation alert… that may turn out to be a false alarm. Are you exhausted? I’m exhausted. Unfortunately, nothing is worse for us hypervigilant, Type A production types than to face a crisis over which we have little to no control.
I’m humbled by how little I feel like I’ve got to offer here but for what it’s worth here’s my thoughts and guidance:
Let's do what we do best and Go Back to 1: Pause, center yourself, and reset.
Maintaining calm keeps your mind clear to act and make good decisions for your and your loved ones. Calm is also contagious! The one steady person in a crisis an anchor of support that brings calm and comfort to others.
Got 60 seconds? Grab your headphones, sit back, and really listen as you (re)watch the soothing 60 SECOND VIDEO.
May it bring some measure or comfort and calm.
Bookmark the video. Share it. Use it like a daily affirmation, meditation, or even a mini-break. I’m going for a soothing ASMR effect here — let me know in the comments if it works for you!
If you’re ready to Join the Resistance…
(Re)watch a 1 Minute video to chill out and get more tips: here.
Coping in a Crisis: Resist the Dark Side of News and Doomscrolling: here.
Want to explore 1:1 Confidential, Trauma informed Coaching from a seasoned media Executive?: Learn more about Valerie Chow, MA.
Please share your own tips in the comments too. After all, we’re in this together!
For those of you in film/tv who have been affected by the LA fires and are looking for entertainment industry disaster relief resources, the Producer’s Guild has released a list from the Entertainment Community Fund.
#LASTRONG
