Why Do We Get Addicted to Bad News?

These days, people are getting more and more caught up in the negative side of life, to the point where many are almost addicted to negative information—whether it’s bad news, gossip, or similar things.

I once asked someone who tended to think negatively, “What would happen if 90% of everything around you was actually positive?”
His immediate, honest answer? “That would be boring.”

That response says a lot. Just like a person addicted to shopping can’t imagine life being exciting without buying things, someone hooked on negative thinking feels like those dark thoughts fill an emotional void and give life a certain flavor. In their view, a life without problems is dull and unchallenging.

Many people who consume negative news say it’s so they can be prepared for bad situations. But if we really examine that claim objectively, it doesn’t hold up. Plenty of people go about their lives without constantly checking the news—and somehow, they’re still safe.

We don’t need to obsessively chase bad news in order to stay informed. Important updates—those we truly need—have a way of reaching us when it matters.

With this type of "negative information addiction", people disconnect from reality—at least from the positive side of it. They stop noticing all the people around them who are living well, functioning well, and genuinely feeling good. In their eyes, if you're not constantly worrying about threats to your routine, you're the one who's “out of touch", when the truth is, they’re the ones out of touch—cut off from the good that could actually help them grow.

Negative Thinking - Lack of Self Trust

If we take a deeper look—borrowing the words of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter—we find that a person’s tendency to get caught up in negative information often comes from a deeper place inside, something he called “the dark force” within a person. This refers to the unconscious part of us that drives much of our behavior and influences how we function.

According to this idea, people who immerse themselves in negativity often do so because, deep down, they don’t truly believe in themselves or their abilities. That lack of self-belief is the real issue beneath the surface. The person may never admit this, not even to themselves—but it’s there, and it quietly affects their thoughts, choices, and behavior.

When someone doesn’t believe in themselves, they gravitate toward negative content that reinforces their fears. It becomes a way to justify why they shouldn’t even bother trying to improve- financially, socially, or personally.

They may say things like:

• “Why build a career when the economy is crashing anyway?”

• “Why work on my health if the world is full of radiation?”

• “Why study if there’s just too much to ever learn?”

• “Why take up hobbies? Life’s too short.”

These sound like reasonable concerns, but the reality is that optimistic people tend to succeed more in almost every area. On top of that, they tend to live longer—something even the most pessimistic person secretly wishes for.

This same mindset also explains why people who lack confidence feel a certain satisfaction when others fail. It’s not that they wish harm on anyone—but seeing someone else fall gives them a temporary sense of superiority. They didn’t have to change or succeed themselves, and yet they feel like they’re somehow “ahead.” Of course, it’s an illusion. Other people’s failures don’t actually make us better.

When they see someone else succeed, it often triggers quiet discomfort. That success shines a light on what they could have achieved—but didn’t. When that successful person eventually fails, they feel relieved. They think, “See? Success doesn’t last anyway—why even bother trying?”.

In the end, they’re left with nothing. Someone else’s failure won’t feed them, won’t fix their problems, and won’t last as a source of comfort. They’re still stuck facing their own lack of progress and the heavy emotions that come with it.