10 Reasons Why You NEED to Stop Watching The News

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Heads up, this article may seem like I hate the news (I don’t) however I do have some very strong and compelling reasons why you need to stop watching the news.

This article is designed to challenge your thinking with direct points that you may or may not have thought of before mixed in with some research studies.

I’m writing this article because I stopped watching the news a few years ago because I realised how negative it was and how being more informed didn’t make me a better human being.

Doing things like volunteering and being part of the solution is much more practical and beneficial than constantly doom-scrolling clickbaity news articles designed to get you all worked up and angry.

Don’t get me wrong, there are still times when I have to consume the news (e.g. because I’m currently studying a non-fiction writing course) BUT I use a mindful consumption strategy to help me limit my exposure to unnecessary articles.

I have included steps to help you do a complete news blackout (if that’s what you want) and I have also included steps to help you mindfully consume news content.

So, there’s something for everyone.

Table of Contents

The news is not what you think it is

The news is designed to be addictive, not helpful.

The language used and coverage is crafted to capture and hold your attention so that you keep anxiously scrolling or standing in front of the TV.

I had this realisation during the coverage of the pandemic when we were all glued to our screens, watching the death toll rise by the hour.

It was truly horrific looking back on the situation. These were real lives that were lost and we reduced them to cold, scary numbers.

Never mind the news debates where people were practically dehumanising vulnerable adults and people with chronic diseases, basically blaming them for the lockdowns and trying to sentence them to death.

It felt like a twisted game because why were we even having these discussions in the first place? We should be looking after the most vulnerable in the society, right?

Right?

But at the same time, I watched these debates OUTRAGED but unable to look away because I just needed to know how someone could even think like that.

The OceanGate scandal in 2023 was just as bad. At that point, I had stopped watching the news for a few years but somehow I got hooked right back in. I think it was the fact that some news channels had an oxygen countdown as if it were some kind of evening entertainment. The whole thing was sensationalised and absurd.

But that is exactly what the news has become…

Reasons you need to stop watching the news

1. It Increases your stress levels

Watching the news every day keeps you stuck in survival mode and triggers the stress response in your body. Every headline is designed to capture your attention and keep you feeling anxious and overwhelmed.

We are truly not designed for this level of information and triggers.

In fact, the American Psychological Association (APA) reported that “all types of news media consumption increased emotional distress, but television and social media exposure were more strongly associated“

Some studies also linked prolonged media exposure to symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and I’m not surprised considering how traumatic the news coverage of the pandemic was.

2. It’s mentally draining

Doom scrolling leaves you feeling stuck. You find yourself constantly refreshing the same stories looking for the latest updates until brain fog/rot starts to creep in.

It is the constant stream of bad news and never-ending topics that does so much more than just stress you out. It impacts your ability to think clearly because each click-bait headline chips away at your focus and weakens your ability to make decisions.

You end up mentally drained and overwhelmed and trapped in a cycle that’s hard to break.

3. It’s all doom and gloom

Watching the news leaves you stuck in a pessimistic mindset. You start assuming the worst in people and in the world because it shifts you into a scarcity mindset.

It’ll make you so much more focused on your fears and what you haven’t got rather than thinking optimistically and being appreciative of what you have.

Studies show that news coverage is overwhelmingly negative. In fact, it’s been proven that there are so many more negative stories than positive ones.

This constant focus on doom and gloom changes the way you see the world and drags down your mood.

And you deserve better than that.

4. No solutions, just more problems

After hours of watching the news, you’re just left feeling helpless and hopeless.

The truth is, there is always a crisis, disaster or conflict going on in the world you’re not really offered any real solutions, just more reasons to feel anxious.

You’re not contributing to the solution by reading more about it despite what you might think.

Instead, you’re caught in an endless cycle of negativity.

5. The lines between entertainment and news have blurred

Nowadays, the news has turned into gossip and drama

It’s constantly filled with unnecessary information about famous people’s personal lives and screenshots of social media posts used as facts.

Even reputable news companies have fallen into the trap because it’s all part of the attention economy.

It’s about keeping you hooked, not helping you stay informed. You end up consuming content that doesn’t benefit you, and it pulls you further away from your values and what really matters.

6. Positive news stories are pathetic

Let’s be real, what’s passed off as positive news isn’t really uplifting.

A happy story about a cat travelling between different homes in the neighbourhood? That’s not helpful, it’s just pathetic filler content.

And yes, that was a real story I saw on BBC News!

You’re not gaining anything valuable from these kinds of articles. It’s not really news and it certainly doesn’t improve your life.

Sadly, good news isn’t really good news.

7. You are not more educated

Watching the news doesn’t make you smarter or more aware.

Real intelligence comes from engaging with meaningful content such as books that challenge your thinking, or activities that develop your critical thinking skills.

The news is just a form of procrastination.

Instead of scrolling, you could be investing in something that actually makes you grow.

8. It’s repetitive

News is repetitive. It’s just the same stories recycled over and over but wrapped in a different clickbait headline.

Breaking news is rarely as important as it’s made out to be. You’ve seen it all before, just reworded to keep you coming back for more.

9. Desensitisation

Constant exposure to atrocities like the pandemic and wars slowly desensitises and numbs you to real suffering.

It’s shocking how quickly we adjust to seeing death counts as numbers or violence as just another story.

Not surprisingly, the news can even test your sense of morality.

According to research in Psychological Science, the more you’re exposed to unethical behaviour in the media, the less shocking and more acceptable it becomes. You start to feel like nothing really matters and that’s a very dangerous mindset.

10. Changes your risk perception

Also, consuming too much news distorts your sense of danger. It convinces you that the world is far riskier and scarier than it actually is

This makes you scared to make choices because your decision-making process is based on skewed information.

According to research published in the Journal of Health Communication, this can significantly affect how you perceive threats in your day-to-day life.

Watching the news keeps you trapped in survival mode because you’re always reacting to sensationalised fears instead of reality.

Pros and cons of stopping consuming the news

Pros

You’ll be more productive
You will be more optimistic
You’ll become more introspective
You’ll experience more peace and mindfulness
You’ll have more time
You’ll have deeper connections
You’ll actually make a difference in the world instead of being outraged and procrastinating
You won’t miss anything important
You can practise slow living and values-based living
You’ll be a more moral person

Cons

You won’t know every single thing that’s going on
You might be accused of being selfish (you’re not btw)

pinterest pin with text overlay '5 ways to stop watching the news'

5-step process to break the habit

Do an audit: take note of how much time you’re spending watching, reading and listening to the news. Then note how it makes you feel and what it does to your energy levels (is it an energy giver or an energy taker?)
Remove your triggers: identify and remove the things that trigger you to watch the news. For example, notifications, email subscriptions, social media pages and home feeds. Remove or limit your exposure to these things.
Find alternative hobbies: before going cold turkey, find other things you can do that enhance your life instead of watching the news e.g. reading, writing, drawing, baking, playing chess etc…
Accept that you don’t NEED to know everything: the human mind isn’t designed to hold so much knowledge. You’re only human so give yourself permission to be uninformed on some topics
Don’t engage in gossip: gossip is the seed that draws you back into the attention economy. It might cause you to go back to seeking unnecessary information about things you really don’t need to know about e.g. celebrity drama, unimportant political scandals

But if you’re still going to watch the news do these things:

Set limits: create boundaries for how long and what type of news you are going to consume each day or week. You can even manually put app limits on your phone and laptop
Get subscriptions: you can pay for a subscription to a reputable news source so that you avoid dramatic attention-seeking news articles and also support quality journalism.
Use Flipboard: you can use 3rd party apps like Flipboard to help you organise your news consumption. I’ve recently started to use Flipboard and highly recommend it however, make sure you also put an app limit on
Unfollow brands/subscriptions: unfollow, unsubscribe and block news sources that don’t align with your values e.g. The Sun and Daily Mail etc…
Switch to paper newspapers: buy high-quality paper newspapers and break the habit of falling for sensationalised videos and clickbait headlines
Subscribe to news round-up newsletters in your chosen field e.g The Knowledge
Only listen to concise news summary podcasts in your chosen field
Practise mindful consumption: stay aligned with your core values by focusing on news that is informative and solution-oriented, rather than sensationalistic

BTW, I don’t hate the news

So, before I end this article, I want to make a few things clear…I don’t hate the news.

I just choose not to watch it and when I do, I’m super intentional about it.

And for the most part, even though I’ve stepped away from daily headlines, I still find out about important events.

So, I’m not completely out of the loop, however, my energy is no longer drained by the constant flow of negativity.

I believe news outlets have a role to play in society. They inform, they hold power to account, and they can inspire change in others.

But for me, there’s so much more power in letting go. I feel less anxious and less driven by perfectionism since I stepped back from watching the news. However, this is also linked to my philosophy around digital minimalism as well.

I’m more present now, fully engaged in what’s happening around me. Instead of constantly worrying about things outside of my control or pretending to be informed about what’s going on in the world, I can actually DO things that make a difference like volunteering and making real change.

And that feels like progress.

So, are you going to stop watching the news?

At this point, you’ve seen how watching the news can negatively impact your stress levels, mental clarity, and even your outlook on life.

Instead of feeling informed, you’re left overwhelmed, mentally exhausted, and caught in a cycle of procrastination.

Stepping back from the news isn’t about ignorance—it’s about protecting your mindset, reclaiming your time, and making space for things that are in alignment with your values.

You’ll gain so much more control in your life when you learn to let go. You become more productive, more introspective, and more present in your day-to-day life.

So, what’s your next move? Will you break the habit by doing a complete news blackout or will you focus on being more mindful in your consumption?

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10 Reasons Why You NEED to Stop Watching The News

The news is not what you think it is