COLIN BAPTIE, PSY.D.

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Headline Stress Disorder

I wrote in a blog post below how it is more important than ever to engage in self care if, like many people, you are feeling the strain of the continuous news cycle regarding events in D.C. A couples therapist writing in the Washington Post, Dr. Steven Stosny, has coined the term 'Headline Stress Disorder,' and, joking aside, he makes some good points about the impact of constant news alerts, FaceBook posts, Tweets, and blogs on our emotional health. He is absolutely right that feelings of shock and anger can, over time, give way to anxiety and depression. I mentioned in my post the need to get out and be with friends, sometimes to allow us to vent to a receptive ear but often just to connect and reinvigorate our sense of community. In his article, Dr. Stosny explains why connection is so important, and I like his explanation about the three levels of connection: community, intimacy, and spirituality. Check out the full article here.