Why Yes, You ARE Addicted to the News

That one last check of your Twitter or Facebook before bed. That first look at CNN or the local rag before breakfast, often before the coffee's done. That 24 hour news channel's constant droning in the background while you work or read or even sleep.

If you've found yourself in any of the above situations, you aren't just a news junkie. Chances are, you're addicted. News addiction is on the rise, especially during this whole COVID-19 pandemic. And it's really bad for your mental health.

What Does News Addiction Look Like?

News addiction looks like many other addictions:

• a "need" for it - in this case, a need to know
• mental health is affected - the type, amount, and timing of your news consumption affects your mood
• time given - the amount of time you devote to consuming news media
• withdrawal - not being able to check your phone or turn on the talk radio or tune into your favorite tv news source creates negative emotional and even physical changes in you
• interpersonal issues - your personal life, perhaps even your professional life, is negatively affected by your news consumption habit

News Addiction Isn't Really All Your Fault

Bad news is: The news media is partly to blame for your condition. Like a dealer pushing the latest high, the news media - especially television and radio news shows - keep you coming back for more. They do this by never giving you the "whole story". They give you just enough facts to arouse your curiosity, but not enough to satisfy your brain.

And then there's the commentary. That's another whole issue in and of itself. They give you "insights" and inferences, without really drawing conclusions. Or they present both sides, so you keep coming back for more, either to agree or disagree or to try and form an educated opinion. None of which is actually possible, as they tend to keep morsels back each and every time.

They need you to keep tuning in. They need you to keep seeking the "truth". They need you to keep those all-important ratings up.

That is not to say that the media is "fake news" or out to get you. They are doing what they have always done - selling sensationalism along with the facts. Headlines in newspapers from 200 years ago are no less tantalizing than they are now. "Film at 11" used to be the catchphrase for every local network's late night reporting. You had to tune in to SEE, not just HEAR or READ about the breaking stories.

News and Social Media - An Addicting Combination

And what about all that checking of the phone, the internet, the social media? Well, Skippy, more bad news. It's just another sign of your addiction. According to studies conducted in 2018, 64.5% of us get our news from our social media sources. Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, mostly.

Social media itself can be highly addictive. While only 5 to 10% or so of Americans are true news addicts and not just news followers, psychologists estimate that 63% of the world's population is addicted to social media. The first big sign? You check your phone first thing every morning.....

Is News Addiction REALLY That Bad?

So, what's the big deal? You like to stay informed. You like to stay on top of things. Things happen overnight. It's smart to start the day off by catching up, right?

All this news consumption can lead to a variety of negative mental health issues. The biggest is depression. News sources seldom report happy, positive stories. Remember, sensationalism sells. To that end, they find the saddest, most tragic, most controversial stories and put them right up front, first in line. In the old days of journalism, it was known as "above the fold" so you could read the headlines with the paper still lying on the doorstep or newsstand shelf.

All this constant bombardment of your psyche with all this negative material eventually leads to a downturn in your mood. Hopelessness, helplessness, even fear and guilt are all generated in your mind.

"If it can happen to them, it can happen to me, too."

"Why bother voting, they're all corrupt and evil."

"No one pays attention to the little guys."

News Addiction and Stress

Too much news consumption can lead to stress, too. It is caused by the activation of your sympathetic nervous system. You want to act, but you physically can't due to geography and other circumstances. Or you react in that lizard-brain primal way of flight or fight. Cortisol and adrenaline start pumping through your body, but they have no outlet, no where to go, as you sit behind your desk or on your sofa, contentedly checking in.

One study showed that all it takes is 14 minutes of negative news consumption to arouse feelings of sadness and anxiety. And many of you spend 2 hours or more a day consuming the news. Some as much as 9 hours daily. Your body is screaming at you to stop, but you can't hear it over the noise generated by the media.

How to Break the News Addiction Cycle

So what can you do? Here's a list from professional counselors and therapists of things to try:

• Limit your news and social media to 30 minutes a day, once or twice a day. It'll be hard at first, but you can do it. Start with 15 minutes "on" then follow with 15 minutes "off". Keep at it until you only need two to four of those 15 minute sessions to check in on the headlines and maybe read an in-depth story or two.
• Schedule a "worry" time into your day. Choose a time of day AFTER you've read/watched the news for dealing with the emotions it has generated. if you can, make plans to physically deal with anything you can - like donating to victims of a natural disaster, or writing a letter to a politician on an issue you sincerely care about. Also, importantly, find a way to make peace with those issues that you can't do anything about. Make sure your worry time is no where within 2 hours of bedtime, so as not to dwell in WorryLand after the lights go out.
• Question your reactions. Another therapist that deals with teen anxiety issues says to ask yourself after reading or watching, "Do I feel calm and informed, or am I angry, anxious, and/or pessimistic?" If you don't feel calm, try and find a way to reduce the anxiety - a different news source, or even less time spent on the news.
• Get a news summary from a reliable source. Many outlets offer the "daily top 5 stories" or a "morning/evening briefing" email or video. Try it. It will keep you informed without overloading your brain. Just be careful not to click the "read more" links in those emails.
• Set other boundaries. Limit other stressors. Maybe it's just one type of news that disturbs your mental peace. Or maybe it's just one news source. And maybe you're just fine with the news till the discussions start around the break room at work, or in your online circles. Put the news in its proper place in your life. Recite a mantra - "The media has no hold over me." "The news has no effect on my daily mood or mindset." "I can live without arguing politics with Uncle Ralph again today."

Don't let the news consume you. Consume it, instead. And just like alcohol on a Saturday night, consume it responsibly. Your brain and mental health will thank you for it.