Tobias Wahlqvist, author of Skip the News – why I stopped following the news and why you should too, shares a checklist for anyone wondering if they might be hooked on news consumption.
When diagnosing addiction, we often look for signs like withdrawal symptoms, loss of control, and increased tolerance. News addiction may sound less dramatic, but it’s not uncommon to let news consumption spill over into other parts of life—and it does affect your mood and health.
When news becomes a central part of our daily lives—taking up so much time, attention, and emotional space—we may not want to compare it to something like alcohol abuse, but it’s still worth reflecting on. What are we doing with our time? And how much are we letting ourselves be affected?
Do you have an unhealthy relationship with the news? Think about how much time and mental energy you give to it. And how it makes you feel.
No matter how you currently relate to the news, it might be useful to try consuming it differently for a while. Doing so can help you become more aware of your habits and how they’re shaping your mental state.
Tips for those addicted to the news (and those who haven’t realized it yet)
Only consume news in the afternoon.
Studies have shown that problem-centered news in the morning can affect some people’s mood for the rest of the day.
Read the news after the fact.
News feels more urgent when it’s happening, which makes us overvalue whatever is unfolding right now—whether it matters or not. Try reading the paper a week late. It might seem dull, even boring, but you’ll have a clearer view of what actually matters and what’s just noise.
Set a dedicated news window—and fast the rest of the time.
Try only checking the news at 5pm, or challenge yourself to just one “news day” a week.
Turn off all news notifications on your phone.
They interrupt you and break your focus. Even if you’re not doing anything “important,” being interrupted affects you. Your brain deserves a chance to finish a thought, doesn’t it?
Delete all news apps from your phone.
Scrolling news on the bus or in the bathroom might seem harmless—but constant stimulation isn’t a virtue. Everyone needs breaks, and news often sabotages a perfectly good moment for rest.
Read the news on paper.
Printed newspapers don’t have flashing banners or clickbait headlines. Studies show that people who read on paper have better reading comprehension than those who read on screens.
Try skipping the news completely for 30 days.
If something important happens, you’ll hear about it anyway. Your brain will get a chance to reset, and you’ll quickly notice just how much attention the news was taking from you.
Many people feel it’s their duty to stay informed. But the news rarely gives a balanced picture of the world. It stirs up emotions and affects our well-being. Skipping the news isn’t about not caring. It’s about finding other, better ways to stay informed—and to stay sane. You still have a responsibility to the world. But you also have a responsibility to yourself.
If the news is messing with your mental health, you are not the problem.
The news is the problem.
Can you really be addicted to the news?
The pattern fits uncomfortably well. Loss of control, rising tolerance, restlessness when you cannot check, and a habit that spills into meals, commutes and bedtime. It sounds milder than other addictions, but it shapes your time, mood and health.
What are the signs of an unhealthy news habit?
It is the first thing you reach for in the morning. You check far more often than you intended. You feel on edge when you cannot. It has crept into every idle moment. And you know it affects your mood, yet you keep doing it.
Does it matter, as long as I stay informed?
The cost is real even if the habit sounds virtuous. News rarely gives a balanced picture of the world, so the hours and emotional energy buy you less understanding than they seem to. Time, attention and calm are the price.
How do I cut down without quitting completely?
Move news to the afternoon. Read it a week late. Set one news window a day and fast in between. Turn off every notification, delete the apps, read on paper. Or try thirty days without it and see what you actually miss.
