Protecting Your Mental Health From Donald Trump's Outrage Machine

Jan 24, 2025

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Editor’s Note: This essay might help you find ways to avoid bad moods, depression, outrage, or other negative emotions during or after watching the news.

Watching television news about Donald Trump’s latest outrage, I feel like Charlie Brown trying to comprehend Lucy as she tells Linus that fir trees give us fur for coats, elm trees grow up to be giant oaks, clouds make the wind blow, bugs pull and tug on the grass to make it grow, stars and planets make the rain, and, in the winter, snow comes up, just like the flowers. When Linus asks why Charlie is banging his head against a tree, Lucy tells him it’s to loosen the bark so that the tree will grow faster.

In today’s media landscape, news coverage of President Donald Trump and his administration frequently elicits strong emotional reactions. News outlets, particularly television networks like MSNBC, provide detailed reporting on Trump’s actions, often emphasizing potential threats to democracy, the rule of law, and vulnerable communities.

Trump is a Genius at Getting Attention

Like a toddler adept at throwing tantrums to get noticed, Donald Trump has spent a lifetime perfecting the art of attracting attention by saying and doing outrageous things. He is a consummate strategic and tactical liar who floods the airwaves and print media with so many lies and absurdities that the mind—mine, anyway—boggles. Like Charlie Brown, I want to bang my head against a tree—or something.

Journalists and editors can’t seem to help themselves. They cover it all, no matter how demonstrably false or absurd it is. (Apparently, like car crashes, it also boosts ratings.)

One effect of this barrage of mendacity and calculated assault on laws and established norms of American Democracy is a continual state of outrage.

That’s not good for our mental health. Neurobiologists like Robert Sapolsky have told us for decades that enduring this kind of repeated outrage is not healthful—especially if we can’t do anything about it. (See Robert Sapolsky, Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers: The Impact of Stress on Health and Mental Well-being (2004).)

Let’s Stop This Self Harm

We need to stop subjecting ourselves to this continual flood of adrenaline, cortisol, and noradrenaline—the hormones our bodies release in the presence of threats and danger, putting us into “fight or flight” mode. When these hormones are released, your heart rate increases, your blood pressure rises, your breathing quickens, and your muscles tighten. This is not what you want in the evening when you’re trying to relax after a full workday.

Staying informed is essential for civic engagement. But consuming outrage-driven news without taking action can have adverse effects on mental health. Sadly, as of now, few channels exist for engaging in organized resistance or other work to protect people and institutions from the sustained assault on our freedom and well-being by a deranged autocrat. (If you know of any, please leave links in the comment section to groups organizing a meaningful resistance.)

In this essay, I argue that progressives, traditional conservatives, liberals, and other supporters of democracy and the Rule of Law should exercise care when selecting news media, choosing sources that provide information without excessive emotional provocation, to maintain both their mental well-being and their political engagement.

I. Why We’re Outraged

We all want to live in a world of truth. Truth has three parts: a) First, what we think we know closely approximates what happened, what’s going on now, and what is likely to happen in the future. b) Second, what we and others say is what we believe to be true (in the first sense). c) Third, the arguments we make are factually correct (a and b), hang together consistently, and consist of logically valid inferences.

When someone makes factually inaccurate statements—as with Lucy saying that snow comes up or that clouds make the wind blow—our head aches from the contradiction to what we believe to be true. This happens whether the other person is deliberately lying, is merely mistaken, or, in fact, is getting it right and we’re the ones with the inaccurate understanding. This kind of discourse is disconcerting. A kind of dysphoria takes hold. Like Charlie, we want to bang our head against something or shout or scream.

When we believe someone is deliberately telling consequential lies, we feel disrespected and put upon. The emotional response is anger or outrage.

It’s not clear to me whether Donald Trump lies to achieve that effect, whether he can’t help himself, or whether he does it to test and bind the loyalty of his followers. It could be all three simultaneously.

In any event, Trump’s lying (not just individual lies) discombobulates those trying to make sense of the world and engage in serious public discourse. We might like to disregard him entirely as the mentally ill person he is. But we can’t, because he wields the power of the White House.

Journalists and editors still have not learned how to respond to the special case of Donald Trump. They know he’s lying. They report that he is lying. But, notwithstanding the lies, they still report and discuss what he is saying and doing with an almost morbid fascination, which pushes all of it into our faces every day. (They do not do this with other pathological liars and mentally ill people. Trump is in a class of his own.)

II. The Psychological Impact of Continuous Exposure to Outrage Media

News that provokes strong emotions like anger, outrage, and disgust triggers physiological stress responses. When individuals are exposed to distressing news without an outlet for action, their bodies release stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which are designed to prepare them for immediate responses. Chronic exposure to such negative emotional stimulation can lead to prolonged stress, anxiety, and even burnout.

Research has shown that continuous exposure to negative news correlates with increased feelings of helplessness and despair. A 2010 study published in the Journal of Political Psychology found that individuals who consumed excessive political news, particularly from emotionally charged sources, exhibited higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Moreover, studies on stress and emotion regulation indicate that unresolved anger and outrage can contribute to mental and physical health issues, including sleep disturbances and cardiovascular problems.

III. The Role of News Media in Emotional Manipulation

Television news, particularly 24-hour cable networks, rely on sensationalism to maintain audience engagement. Outlets like MSNBC, while committed to investigative journalism, also frame their coverage to elicit strong emotional responses, often using urgent language, dramatic music, and panel discussions that reinforce outrage. This cycle of outrage-driven reporting keeps viewers engaged but does not necessarily encourage productive action.

The distinction between responsible journalism and sensationalism is critical. Print journalism, such as The New York Times and Financial Times, often provides in-depth analysis without the performative aspects of televised news. These sources enable readers to engage with current events in a more measured and reflective manner, reducing emotional reactivity while still allowing for informed civic participation.

IV. Strategies for Staying Informed Without Sacrificing Mental Health

To maintain mental well-being while staying informed, individuals should adopt strategies that balance awareness with self-care:

Read satirical outlets like The Borowitz Report. Andy has been making readers laugh out loud for decades, and he will lighten your soul as well. It may be the best antidote to the Donald Trump rhetorical poison.
Listen to or read Heather Cox Richardson’s Letters from an American. This site publishes a daily summary of news of interest to politically engaged people with frequent references to past events that give us a broader historical context. You’ll know what’s going on without emotional manipulation.
Read or listen to Robert Reich’s Substack. The economist and former Secretary of Labor continually injects a dose of sanity into the public discourse thrown askew by Donald Trump.
Select Balanced News Sources. Relying on print journalism or digital publications that prioritize factual reporting over emotional appeals can mitigate the stress response triggered by television news. The PBS News Hour is a respite from the outrage machine as well.
Set Boundaries on News Consumption – Limiting exposure to distressing news, such as designating specific times for reading updates rather than continuously checking social media or watching cable news, can help regulate emotional responses.
Engage in Action-Based Responses – Instead of passively absorbing distressing information, try to find constructive activities locally such as advocacy, community organizing, or supporting causes that align with your values. Consider getting involved in the Solutionary Rail project with Bill Moyer, which will restore passenger rail to rural America and build an expanded electric grid capable of transmitting the huge amount of electricity we will soon need.
Practice Mindfulness and Emotional Regulation – Techniques such as meditation, exercise, and cognitive reframing can help you manage your reactions to news without becoming overwhelmed.

V. Conclusion

In an era of heightened political tension and media saturation, progressives, traditional conservatives, and democracy advocates must be mindful of how we consume news. While vigilance is necessary to protect democratic institutions and social justice, mental health should not be sacrificed in the process. By curating our media intake, setting boundaries, and focusing on action rather than passive outrage, individuals can remain informed and engaged without succumbing to the negative psychological effects of Donald Trump’s outrageous Outrage Machine. Intentional news consumption fosters both resilience and effective activism, ensuring that concern for democracy translates into meaningful action rather than emotional exhaustion.