How Quitting the News Saved My Sanity (and Why You Might Want to Try It Too)

There was a time when I treated the news like caffeine—constant, addictive, and absolutely necessary to start my day. Morning coffee in one hand, world collapse in the other. I devoured every headline, every debate, every tweet from political pundits who looked like they’d never smiled in their lives. If something happened on the planet, I knew about it within five minutes. I told myself it was about staying informed. In reality, it was emotional self-sabotage disguised as civic duty.

Then came the last election, and something in me cracked—or maybe it finally clicked. I realized that no amount of cable coverage or YouTube commentary was going to fix the mess. All it did was raise my blood pressure and make me yell at the TV like an unpaid extra in a therapy commercial. Somewhere between one politician’s smirk and a billionaire’s Twitter tantrum, I hit my limit.

So I quit.

No dramatic announcement, no digital farewell tour—just one quiet, exhausted decision: I’m done. I deleted my news apps, stopped the 24/7 scroll, and started retraining my YouTube algorithm like a misbehaving puppy. If a video even hinted at politics, I smacked “Not Interested” like my sanity depended on it. (Because honestly, it did.)

The first week was weird. My thumbs kept reaching for apps that no longer existed. I’d catch myself wanting to “check what’s happening,” as if the world might stop spinning without my supervision. But the world didn’t stop. The chaos continued just fine without my commentary. And to my surprise, I didn’t miss it. Not even a little.

What came instead was silence. Not the eerie kind—just… peace. I could feel my brain exhale. I wasn’t waking up anxious about things beyond my control. My chest didn’t tighten every time someone said “breaking news.” The mental static quieted. I started noticing actual life again: the smell of sautéing onions, the sound of rain against the window, the way my dog sighs when he finally settles on the couch.

Of course, I still see headlines. I haven’t joined a commune or started wearing foil hats. I’m just not consumed anymore. I glance, I nod, I move on. Because here’s the thing no one tells you: caring and obsessing are not the same. You can stay informed without letting it eat your peace of mind for breakfast.

I used to think that being “out of the loop” made me irresponsible. Now I see it makes me effective. Instead of wasting hours spiraling over headlines I can’t change, I spend that time doing things that matter—voting, donating, helping, creating. My mental health has boundaries now, and they’re glorious.

I still care about injustice, but I care about my blood pressure too. I still want a better world, but I don’t need a play-by-play of every disaster to prove it. My empathy hasn’t dimmed—it’s just become selective. Because constantly feeding on outrage doesn’t make you more aware; it makes you exhausted.

Letting go of the news didn’t make me indifferent. It made me intentional. I choose what enters my brain, just like I choose what goes into a recipe. Too much salt ruins the dish; too much news ruins the mood. So now I season lightly.

If you’ve been thinking about tuning out for your own sanity, consider this your sign. You’re allowed to care deeply without drowning. You’re allowed to stay informed without being inflamed. You’re allowed to protect your peace like it’s the last good truffle in the box—because it is.

Unplug. Unscroll. Unbothered. It’s deliciously quiet here.

Have you ever quit the news—or even tried cutting back? What changed for you? Drop your thoughts in the comments or subscribe for more musings from someone who finally stopped yelling at the TV.