NPR Guides Triggered Liberals: How to Cope with ‘Stressful News Cycle’ of Ukraine War

A cartoon depicting a National Public Radio listener shows a very sensitive liberal who can be easily “triggered.” So it’s not surprising their “Life Kit” blog-and-podcast project would decide their audience needed a coping guide for the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It’s as if Americans are struggling just like Ukrainians.

NPR’s Twentysomething Self-Care Specialist Andee Tagle discussed “5 ways to deal with stressful news cycles” on Friday. Their illustration shows that being a Woman of Color, with hair unnaturally colored, can make it seem like you may be too oppressed by society.

NPR offers some great advice. 

Breathe. If you’re feeling your body contracting or overheating, step away from whatever you’re doing and take a deep breath. Here’s a five-finger breathing exercise that can bring you back to the moment. You can also try these mindfulness and meditation exercises for beginners if you’re looking to go deeper.

Get Moving. You should do something that is good for you and your mind. We’ve got lots of tools to help: whether that’s deep cleaning or comfort decorating to create a cozier space, tips on learning a new skill or jump starting your exercise routine.

Take care of yourself. The kitchen is a safe space for a lot of us. Maybe this is the weekend that you finally re-create Grandpa’s famous lasagna, or learn how to make a prettier pie, or maybe just lose yourself in some kitchen organization. Don’t have every ingredient for that lovely Deb Perelman dessert? Don’t stress — we’ve got you covered on how to make food substitutions, simple.

Keep in touch. When the news is scary, it’s easy to get lost in our own heads. Instead, reach out to your loved ones. This could be as simple as writing a letter to your relative or spending quality time with friends and neighbors. You could play games with your family or write those generations-old stories. Talk to your children about their difficult times getting to sleep at night if they are not able to get to sleep.

Sign off. Remember that it’s OK not to be plugged into the news. You can feel grounded, prioritize your loved ones and turn off alerts.

It’s clear that it isn’t profit-driven radio when the announcer says “unplug” from the news. They don’t require you to increase audience numbers. However, liberal radio almost sounds like NPR. They are the dominant force in this space. 

Perhaps we’re more informed than ever. If war scenes are making you feel anxious, it is important to remember that you can skip over them and live in America.

PS. The Daily Caller reported that some NPR employees hate it.