Am I addicted to the news?

Yes, I am.

And the news was making me feel overwhelmed, out of control, and anxious. So I quit.

I was a journalism major in undergrad and loved long-form journalism, community newspapers, the Sunday New York Times, and NPR driveway moments.

Although I never became a journalist by profession, I appreciated the art of it and believed that the press was the "4th branch of government" holding the executive, legislative, and judicial branches accountable to the public.

But over the last 25 years, the news has changed as technology has changed.

And instead of feeling informed and empowered by the news, I was feeling overwhelmed and anxious by it.

I quit the news about 1.5 years ago. I cancelled my subscriptions and turned off the radio when driving.

I was worried I'd be missing out, but I haven't really missed it. (And the news that matters to me always gets to me somehow... through conversation or a gifted article in my inbox.)

The best part is that I feel less overwhelmed, more in control, and more grounded.

Just like this Psychology Today article suggests, I now consume media in doses that doesn't overwhelm me.

Let me know if you've quit the news too (or are thinking of it). Comment below!

With love,

Ming-Wai