If the news always seems scary, worrisome, and just flat out depressing, it's because the things covered by the media are usually what get the most attention — death, accidents, and war. But watching a consistent stream of bad news can have a serious affect on one’s outlook on the world and overall mental health. It’s important to know what’s going on in the world, but it’s also important to understand just how the media can warp your world view.

The Science of Us recently tackled this idea for its weekly animation series for New York Magazine. According to them, our brains are actually wired to be overly affected by negative news. Understanding the way this works, though, can help viewers avoid the anxiety and depression that results from watching terrible news stories.

One reason we're so stressed by current events is because humans have a natural instinct to take shortcuts when considering new information. One shortcut, Science of Us said, is called the availability heuristic. This suggests that when humans try to determine the likelihood of something happening, they concentrate on "the vividness" of what's portrayed in the news.

Take plane crashes, for example. Science of Us explained that a crash may burn a memory into your mind, leading you to believe it’s much more likely to happen than it really is. The same goes for a variety of natural disasters and violent conflicts.

There are some ways to combat these instinctual ways of thinking, however. Focusing on the good news, such as peace and medical advancements, can help the brain balance out its perspectives and achieve a more holistic way of thinking.

Watch the video for more ways to cope with bad news.