“I used to have the news on the TV every morning for an hour or so as I got the children ready for school and completed my household tasks,” he said. “Now it has literally been switched off and unplugged. I can’t cope with it any more. It’s just too much and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Though he dips into his favourite news apps occasionally in the evening, he now strictly limits his news consumption. He’s not alone. The Guardian has been contacted by a series of one-time news junkies who are now seeking to restrict their news intake after suffering from disturbed sleep or a downturn in their mood.
I still read the news about as much as I did in the before times. I just don’t want to hear TV journalists fall all over themselves to rationalize things or seem impartial when reporting on crimes. I also don’t want to hear either of our dumb leaders’ stupid voices and the unending stream of bullshit they spew.