Avoiding Apathy: When to Tune Out of Distractions and Into Your Humanity

One way to describe what’s happening in the world right now is distraction by chaos. Although the phrase might be new to you, the tactic isn’t. There are many examples throughout history when chaos has been used purposefully in personal, professional, and political situations to pull focus from what’s really going on. 

When you’re repeatedly exposed to this strategy, you can have the urge to avoid such negativity. If this is how you’re feeling right now, you’re not alone. To encourage people to stop paying attention is the point of distraction by chaos. Unfortunately, the approach is proving successful. Overall, news avoidance has been steadily increasing. A 2024 Reuters Digital News Report showed that more and more people around the world are experiencing news fatigue. They are less interested and aware of what’s going on around them. 

Protecting yourself

Taking a step back to protect yourself from the influx of bad news isn’t wrong. There are many times in life when putting your mental and emotional health first has to be a priority. Completely disengaging can be appealing, but when you feel compelled to totally remove yourself, you’re not just distracted. This kind of tumultuous environment can also breed apathy. 

Constant chaos can weaken your system so that when the time comes to actually do what’s important, you don’t have the energy, wherewithal, or drive. Being forced to continually sift through an overwhelming amount of incoming stimuli can leave little room for what’s important. Beyond simply ceasing to care about what’s going on, you might also stop contributing to the conversation or opt out of helping to solve the problem.

While you should always be mindful of self-care, closing yourself off to the world permanently isn’t an ideal solution. Walking the line between protecting your mental health and knowing when to engage is important. Finding an equilibrium between the two can mean you’ll have the strength to step up when the time comes.

Avoiding apathy

Community has a pivotal role to play in keeping apathy at bay. Spending time with people who share similar interests or values can be energizing. When you don’t have time to meet up, you can still pick up the phone and make a quick call to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while. 

Regularly focusing on the positive aspects of your life can serve as a powerful antidote to the creeping feeling of disillusionment. To balance the negative, tracking what makes you happy or what you're grateful for is a helpful tool. Even just honoring life’s simple pleasures, like bringing home a bouquet of flowers or coffee from your favorite café on a Saturday morning, can brighten your mood. Keeping the best parts of life top-of-mind can create a mental landscape that is less susceptible to the erosion of apathy.