Addiction to checking the news is linked to poor mental and physical health, according to a new study published in the peer-reviewed journal, Health Communication.
The study says people who have "an obsessive urge" to check the news all the time are more likely to suffer from anxiety and stress.
“Witnessing these events unfold in the news can bring about a constant state of high alert in some people, kicking their surveillance motives into overdrive and making the world seem like a dark and dangerous place,” said Texas Tech University's professor Bryan McLaughlin.
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McLaughlin said for those people, a "vicious cycle" can develop.
"Rather than tuning out, they become drawn further in, obsessing over the news and checking for updates around the clock to alleviate their emotional distress.
"But it doesn’t help, and the more they check the news, the more it begins to interfere with other aspects of their lives," he said.
As part of the study McLaughlin and his colleagues, Dr Melissa Gotlieb and Dr Devin Mills analysed data from a survey of 1100 US adults.
In the survey, participants were asked about the extent they agreed with statements like "I become so absorbed in the news that I forget the world around me"; "my mind is frequently occupied with thoughts about the news"; and "I find it difficult to stop reading or watching the news"; and "I often do not pay attention at school or work because I am reading or watching the news".
They were also asked how often they had feelings of stress and anxiety, as well as fatigue, physical pain, poor concentration, and gastrointestinal issues.
The results showed that 16.5% of people surveyed showed signs of "severely problematic" news consumption.
Those individuals became so immersed and personally invested news stories dominated their thoughts, disrupted time with loved ones, making it difficult to focus on work, and contributed to an inability to sleep.
Asked how often participants experienced mental or physical illness over the past month, results showed 73.6% of those with problematic news consumption experienced mental ill-being “quite a bit” or “very much”.
Eight per cent of all other participants said they experience those feelings and symptoms frequently.
Meanwhile, 61% of those with problematic news reported experiencing physical ill-being "quite a bit" or "very much" compared to only 6.1% for all other study participants.
McLaughlin said the results show there's a need for focused media literacy campaigns to help people form healthier relationships with the news.
"While we want people to remain engaged in the news, it is important that they have a healthier relationship with the news.
"In most cases, treatment for addictions and compulsive behaviours centres on complete cessation of the problematic behaviour, as it can be difficult to perform the behaviour in moderation.
"In the case of problematic news consumption, research has shown that individuals may decide to stop, or at least dramatically reduce, their news consumption if they perceive it is having adverse effects on their mental health," he said.
He said the study also emphasises the need for a discussion about how the news industry may be fuelling the problem.
"The economic pressures facing outlets, coupled with technological advances and the 24-hour news cycle have encouraged journalists to focus on selecting 'newsworthy' stories that will grab news consumers' attention.
"However, for certain types of people, the conflict and drama that characterise newsworthy stories not only grab their attention and draw them in but also can lead to a maladaptive relationship with the news."
McLaughlin said the study results show the commercial pressures news media face are not just harmful to maintaining a healthy democracy but also to people's health.
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