People who are «hooked» on the news, addicted to checking every few minutes to see if there is any new news—a trend reinforced by social media—are more likely to suffer from stress, anxiety, and other physical health problems, according to a new American study.
The succession of significant events in recent years that have flooded the news (pandemic, Russian invasion of Ukraine, energy crisis, major fires, etc.) has led to increased interest in timely information. However, for many people, reading often unpleasant news can be stressful.
Researchers, led by Professor Brian McLoughlin of the College of Media and Communication at Texas Tech University, who published their findings in the journal Health Communication, studied the phenomenon of so-called «news addiction» in a sample of 1,100 adults who completed relevant questionnaires.
Participants were asked to answer questions such as «I am so absorbed by the news that I forget the world around me» or «my mind often wanders to thoughts about the news» or «I find it difficult to stop reading or watching the news» or «I often don't pay attention at school or work because I am reading or watching the news.».
The findings showed that 16.51% of people—about one in six—show signs of «seriously problematic» news consumption, to the point where it dominates their lives, disrupting relationships with family and friends, causing difficulty concentrating on school or work, and creating pervasive anxiety and insomnia.
These people are more likely to experience mental (74%) and physical health problems (61%), compared to much lower rates (8% and 6%) among those who are not so «hooked» on the news.
«Following international developments in the media can create a state of high alert and agitation in some people, making the world seem like a dark and dangerous place. Such individuals may experience a vicious cycle that creates a compulsive relationship with the news, constantly checking for new developments all the time. The more someone does this, the more it affects other aspects of their life,“ said McLaughlin.
As he said, it is necessary to help certain people develop a healthier relationship with the news, without, of course, stopping them from staying informed. In other cases of addiction and compulsive behavior, treatment involves completely stopping the problematic behavior, but in the case of news consumption, this should be avoided so as not to undermine, among other things, the existence of well-informed citizens, which is necessary in a democracy.
