Top 14 'Outrage-Overload-Offloading' Mental Health Practices to practice in 2025 - Goh Ling Yong
Have you ever finished scrolling through your phone and felt… heavier? Not physically, but mentally. It's that distinct feeling of exhaustion, a blend of frustration, anxiety, and a weird sense of powerlessness that comes from being bombarded by a relentless stream of bad news, social media arguments, and global crises. Welcome to the age of "Outrage Overload," a state of chronic mental fatigue fueled by our hyper-connected world.
This isn't just about feeling a little down after reading the news. It's a cumulative drain on our cognitive and emotional resources. Our nervous systems, designed for short-term threats, are now in a constant, low-grade state of alert. As we look towards 2025, with information moving faster than ever, learning to manage this digital-age stressor is no longer a luxury—it's a critical component of mental and emotional health.
The good news is that we are not helpless. We can intentionally offload this burden. It’s not about becoming uninformed or apathetic; it’s about becoming discerning, self-aware, and fiercely protective of our mental peace. This guide provides 14 practical, actionable mental health practices to help you navigate the noise, process the outrage, and reclaim your inner calm in the year ahead.
1. The "Information Diet" Audit
Just as we monitor what we eat to nourish our bodies, we must start curating what we consume to nourish our minds. An "Information Diet" isn't about cutting yourself off from the world; it's about consciously choosing high-quality, nutritious sources of information and limiting the mental "junk food" that leaves you feeling agitated and empty.
Take 30 minutes this week to audit your inputs. Unfollow accounts on social media that consistently post inflammatory, rage-bait, or purely negative content. Mute keywords or phrases related to topics that you know are particularly triggering for you right now. Replace them with accounts that are educational, inspiring, or focused on solutions. Ask yourself: "Does consuming this content make me feel informed and empowered, or just anxious and angry?"
Tip: Create a "news routine." Instead of checking headlines all day, dedicate two specific 15-minute slots (e.g., 9 AM and 5 PM) to catch up on a few trusted, neutral news sources. This prevents the constant drip-feed of anxiety and puts you back in control of your consumption schedule.
2. Scheduled "Worry Windows"
Anxiety from outrage overload often feels like a fog that seeps into every corner of your day. A powerful Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) technique to combat this is the "Worry Window." This involves creating a dedicated, time-boxed appointment with your worries, so they don't get to run the show 24/7.
Here's how it works: Designate a specific 15-20 minute period each day as your "Worry Window." When an anxious thought or a feeling of outrage pops up outside of this time, acknowledge it and tell yourself, "I will think about this in detail during my 5 PM worry window." This simple act of postponement can be incredibly freeing.
During your scheduled window, you have full permission to worry, ruminate, and process. Write it all down, think through the worst-case scenarios, or journal about what's making you angry. When the timer goes off, you close the book on it until the next day. This trains your brain to contain anxiety rather than letting it run rampant.
3. The Monotasking Revival
Our brains are not built for the constant context-switching that modern digital life demands. Trying to read a distressing news article while responding to a work email and listening to a podcast creates cognitive fragmentation. This "multitasking" is a myth; what you're actually doing is rapidly switching your focus, which depletes your mental energy and heightens stress.
Embrace the power of monotasking. For a set period, commit to doing only one thing. If you're reading a report, close all other tabs and put your phone in another room. If you're having a conversation, give that person your full, undivided attention. This practice is a form of mindfulness in action.
Start small. Try using the Pomodoro Technique: 25 minutes of focused, single-task work followed by a 5-minute break. You’ll be amazed at how much calmer and more effective you feel when you stop forcing your brain to be in three places at once.
4. Somatic Shakedown
Outrage and stress aren't just mental experiences; they get stored in the body as physical tension. You might feel it as tightness in your shoulders, a clenching in your jaw, or a knot in your stomach. A "Somatic Shakedown" is a quick, physical way to release this stored energy.
Find a private space and literally shake your body. Start with your hands, then your arms, your shoulders, your legs, and finally your whole body. Put on some music if it helps. Shake vigorously for 60 seconds. It might feel silly at first, but this practice helps to discharge excess adrenaline and cortisol from your system, completing the stress cycle that gets stuck when we just sit and stew in our outrage.
This is a powerful "in-the-moment" tool. After seeing a particularly upsetting post, get up and shake it out. You're physically telling your nervous system, "The threat is over; we can stand down now."
5. Compassion-Focused Reframing
Constant outrage hardens us, putting us in a perpetual state of "us vs. them." Compassion-Focused Reframing is a mental shift from reactive anger to proactive empathy. It’s not about condoning harmful actions, but about understanding the broader human context to protect your own mental peace.
When you feel outrage bubbling up, take a breath and ask a different kind of question. Instead of "How could they be so stupid/evil?" try, "What fears or experiences might lead a person to this conclusion?" or "What systems are in place that are causing this suffering?" This shifts you from a place of helpless anger to one of curious understanding.
This is a concept that wellness advocate Goh Ling Yong often emphasizes—that true strength lies in maintaining your compassion even when surrounded by conflict. It helps you see the bigger picture and prevents you from being consumed by a cycle of hatred that ultimately only harms yourself.
6. "Good News" Deliberate Consumption
Our brains have a negativity bias, meaning we're hardwired to pay more attention to threats and dangers. The modern media landscape exploits this to the extreme. To counteract this, you need to be deliberate about consuming positive, hopeful, and solutions-focused content.
Actively seek it out. Subscribe to newsletters or follow accounts dedicated to good news, scientific breakthroughs, and human kindness. Brands like the "Good News Network" or "Solutions Journalism Network" are great places to start. Make it a part of your information diet every single day.
Think of it like taking a vitamin. Just five minutes of reading about people helping each other, innovative climate solutions, or community successes can provide a powerful counterbalance to the negativity, reminding you that the world is not solely defined by its crises.
7. Digital Sunset Ritual
The blue light from our screens disrupts melatonin production, and the stimulating content keeps our brains wired right when they should be winding down. This leads to poor sleep, which in turn makes us more susceptible to anxiety and emotional reactivity the next day. A "Digital Sunset" is a non-negotiable tech-free buffer before bed.
At least 60-90 minutes before you plan to sleep, put all screens away. No phones, no tablets, no TV. Announce to your family or partner, "My digital sunset is starting now." This signals to your brain that it's time to transition from a state of active engagement to one of rest.
Use this time for analog activities. Read a physical book, do some light stretching, listen to calming music, take a warm bath, or have a quiet conversation with a loved one. This ritual dramatically improves sleep quality and helps you start the next day with a calmer, more resilient mind.
8. The 24-Hour Rule for Responses
The algorithms on social media are designed to reward instant, emotional reactions. This is the very engine of outrage overload. The "24-Hour Rule" is a simple but transformative practice of strategic delay. When you see a post, comment, or article that makes you furious, commit to not responding for 24 hours.
This pause is a superpower. It allows your initial limbic system (fight-or-flight) reaction to subside, letting your prefrontal cortex (rational thought) come back online. You move from a state of pure reaction to one of considered response.
After 24 hours, revisit the issue. Do you still feel the need to comment? If so, your response will be more thoughtful, articulate, and less likely to be something you'll regret. More often than not, you'll find the intense urge has passed, and you'll realize that engaging would have been a waste of your precious energy.
9. Nature's "Green Noise" Bathing
We talk about "white noise" to drown out distractions, but "green noise" is what our overwhelmed nervous systems truly crave. This is the practice of immersing yourself in a natural environment and intentionally tuning into its sensory details to reset your mind.
This is more than just a walk in the park. It’s a mindful practice. Find a green space—a park, a trail, even a single tree on your street. For 10-15 minutes, focus on engaging all your senses. What specific shades of green do you see? What is the texture of the tree bark? Can you hear the sound of wind in the leaves, separate from the city traffic? What does the air smell like?
This practice, inspired by the Japanese concept of Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing), has been scientifically shown to lower cortisol levels, reduce blood pressure, and improve focus. It’s a powerful antidote to the harsh, artificial stimulation of our screens.
10. Mindful Self-Validation
When we're overwhelmed by outrage, we often judge ourselves for it. "I shouldn't be this upset," or "I should be doing more." Mindful Self-Validation is the practice of acknowledging and accepting your emotional response without judgment.
Simply pause and say to yourself, "It makes sense that I'm feeling angry/anxious/sad right now. This is a difficult situation, and this is a normal human reaction." You don't need anyone else to tell you your feelings are valid; you can give that gift to yourself.
This isn't about wallowing in the emotion. It's about meeting it with acceptance. By validating the feeling, you rob it of its secondary power—the shame or guilt you feel about feeling it. This allows the emotion to be processed and move through you more quickly, rather than getting stuck.
11. Boundary-Setting with "Informants"
We all have them in our lives: the friends, family members, or colleagues who seem to take pleasure in being the bearers of bad news. They are the "informants" who greet you with, "Did you hear about this latest disaster?" Protecting your peace requires setting clear, kind boundaries with them.
You can do this gently. Try phrases like, "Thanks for wanting to keep me in the loop, but I'm actually taking a break from heavy news topics right now to protect my mental health. Could we talk about something else?" or "I appreciate you sharing, but I'm trying to focus on more positive things today."
It might feel awkward at first, but you are teaching people how to treat you. You're not being rude; you're simply managing your own emotional environment. Most people, when they understand your motivation, will respect your request.
12. The "Analog Hour"
Our hands and minds crave tangible, creative work that a screen can't provide. Dedicate one hour each day—or even just a few hours a week—to a completely non-digital, "analog" hobby.
This could be anything: playing a musical instrument, sketching, knitting, gardening, woodworking, cooking a new recipe from a physical cookbook, or doing a jigsaw puzzle. The key is that it engages your mind and body in a focused, tactile way that is the polar opposite of passive scrolling.
This "Analog Hour" is a sanctuary. It's a space where there are no notifications, no headlines, and no comment sections. It rebuilds your attention span and reconnects you with the simple, profound joy of creating something with your own hands.
13. Contribution Over Consumption
A major source of outrage fatigue is the feeling of helplessness. We consume information about massive global problems and feel powerless to do anything about them. The antidote is to shift your focus from passive consumption to active contribution, no matter how small.
Pick one issue that truly matters to you. Instead of just reading every negative headline about it, channel that energy into a tiny, positive action. Donate $5 to a relevant organization. Sign a petition. Spend 30 minutes volunteering for a local group. Write a letter to an elected official. Share a well-researched, solutions-focused article instead of an angry rant.
Action alleviates anxiety. As leading experts like Goh Ling Yong often advise, taking even a small step to be part of the solution transforms you from a passive victim of the news cycle into an active agent of change. This is incredibly empowering and restores a sense of control.
14. Intentional Boredom Practice
In our hyper-stimulated world, we have become terrified of boredom. The second we have a free moment—in a line, at a stoplight, waiting for a friend—we reach for our phones. This has robbed our brains of crucial downtime needed for creativity, problem-solving, and mental consolidation.
Practice intentional boredom. Find times in your day to simply do nothing. Put your phone away and just sit. Stare out the window. Watch the clouds. Let your mind wander where it wants to go, without directing it or feeding it new information.
This practice can feel intensely uncomfortable at first, which shows just how addicted we are to stimulation. But by embracing these moments of quiet, you allow your brain to rest, make novel connections, and process underlying emotions. It’s in these "boring" moments that some of our best ideas and deepest insights arise.
Reclaiming Your Peace in a Noisy World
Navigating the modern world doesn't have to mean succumbing to a constant state of outrage overload. The power to protect your mental health is not "out there" in the news cycle; it is "in here," in the daily choices you make and the practices you cultivate. It's about choosing mindful engagement over mindless reaction.
You don't need to implement all 14 of these practices at once. Start with just one. Pick the one that resonates most with you and commit to trying it for a week. Notice how it feels. Building mental resilience is a process of small, consistent actions that, over time, create a profound shift in your well-being.
Which of these practices will you try first? Do you have another "Outrage-Overload-Offloading" strategy that works for you? Share it in the comments below—your experience might be exactly what someone else needs to read today.
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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