UNPLUG FOR MENTAL HEALTH
Since November, I have completely unplugged from all news outlets. Fifteen years ago, I cut the cable TV and stopped watching the news, except for the occasional major sports game on regular TV channels. Five years ago, I stopped using social media platforms. And three years ago, I even stopped watching sports on my TV.
When I first cut cable and the news fifteen years ago, it felt amazing. I quickly realized that most TV news was shallow and fear-driven. On top of that, I was no longer bombarded with materialistic and annoying advertisements. But I was still addicted to the news. So, I kept news apps on my phone, which I opened daily.
For decades, I believed it was my civic duty, part of being an informed and educated person, to stay up to date on political, socio-economic, and cultural issues, both domestically and internationally. I reinforced my habit of obsessively checking news apps by convincing myself that I was only following “legit” news sources.
Then, in early November, I uninstalled all my news apps, cold turkey. Since then, I haven’t looked back. Even today, I have not intentionally watched or read any news. And it feels f*cking amazing. My mental health has improved. I feel lighter, happier, less stressed, less worried, and less obsessed.
Some people have pushed back, asking how I can ignore what’s happening in the world, especially when so many people are suffering. My answer? After four months of this digital detox, I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything truly new. Sure, I might not know all the detailed sh*t that’s happening, but I’m still pretty informed.
For example, when I landed in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in early January, halfway through my Southeast Asia trip, I had to take a train into the city. On my seat, for the first time in two months, I was exposed to American news again because there was a TV screen right in front of me. The breaking news? The U.S. administration wanted to rename the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America.” And people were freaking out. My first reaction? Why is everyone so surprised? We’ve known for the last ten years that the person in charge is an asshole. This is exactly the kind of thing he would do. Acting shocked about it felt as ridiculous as if a friend who loves kids told me she wanted to have a baby, and I reacted with total disbelief.
That moment made me realize something crucial: most of what we call “news” isn’t actually new. I wasn’t reading the news to stay informed, I was chasing a high. A high fueled by fear, anger, hate, and jealousy. I was addicted to those emotions, consuming sensationalist, superficial news just to stir them up. And in doing so, I was distracting myself from the real issues, challenges, and suffering that people face every day, all while justifying it under the illusion of being “well-informed.”
Beyond that, my news addiction reinforced social and emotional isolation. We’ve all witnessed this, or been guilty of it ourselves. Imagine having a fun and engaging conversation with a friend when, suddenly, one of you picks up your phone for no real reason, pretending to “check an important notification.” In reality, most of the time, these notifications aren’t urgent or important at all. But we justify it in our heads. Worse still, after checking that “urgent” notification, we keep scrolling, completely unaware that we’re sitting across from someone, mid-conversation, while mindlessly consuming content.*
We’ve all been there. We’ve all done it. And we’ve all felt the energy shift when it happens. The conversation dies. From that moment on, the discussion becomes more superficial because deep down, we know there’s no point in having a meaningful conversation when, at any moment, someone might pick up their phone again.
When I quit the news, I went cold turkey. It wasn’t easy, I was battling decades of compulsive habits, constantly tapping on apps and scrolling mindlessly. So, I developed three initial replacement habits to help me break the cycle and regain control:
1. Books with Short Chapters
The action of opening news apps and scrolling isn’t the real addiction. The real culprit is the brain’s craving for quick bursts of information that trigger strong emotions. So, I downloaded books on business development and inner growth that had short chapters. These allowed me to consume meaningful, healthier information while still getting some level of emotional stimulation. My next step? Experimenting with books full of inspirational quotes or poetry.
2. Low-Maintenance, Non-Action Games
We’re addicted to our phones because we seek easy, mindless distractions. And sometimes, that’s okay, our brains need a break. I installed two non-addictive games that I could play for just a few minutes before moving on. One example is a space mining game. I go in, upgrade my spaceship, collect some rare minerals, shoot down one asteroid, and that’s it. No levels, no endless engagement, just a quick distraction to replace the habit of tapping on a news app.
3. Physical Movement
Old habits die hard. The urge to grab our phones is so ingrained that we do it without thinking, especially when our devices are connected to work. I imagine invisible strings tying my fingers to my phone, and I need to cut them. So, instead of reaching for my phone every time I take a short break, I engage in physical movement: stretching my shoulders, legs, hips, neck, or back, or doing light squats or lunges. This helps delay the short-term gratification of checking my phone while also benefiting my physical health.
But most importantly, beyond replacing bad habits, we need to constantly, actively, and intentionally remind ourselves why we’re doing this: to rebuild healthier habits for our well-being and mental health.
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A Few Disclaimers:
1. Yes, real emergencies happen. But let’s be honest—99% of the time, we mistake non-urgent messages for urgent ones. No, your family is not experiencing a life-threatening emergency every five minutes during an hour-long meal.
2. Sometimes, checking your phone is a social cue. Some people use it as a subtle way to signal they’re done with a conversation, which is understandable.
3. Some situations don’t allow for continuous conversation. For example, if you’re hanging out with friends who have young toddlers, interruptions are inevitable.
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First photo by Shawn Suttle from Pixabay.
Second photo by Lius Hansen
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