Feeling overwhelmed by the news? Tired? Confused? Yeah… same.
In this episode of Here’s The Thing, we are talking about something so many of us feel: being constantly online is exhausting. When enough people feel exhausted, it can affect our democracy.
If you’ve ever doomscrolled until your soul left your body, or checked out of the news because everything felt “too much,” this episode is basically a hug and a reality check in one.
We’re breaking down:
– why the news feels nonstop and impossible to escape
– how fear, chaos, and overload impact your brain
– why so many people are unplugging from politics
– how burnout can actually help authoritarian movements
– and ways to stay informed without losing your mind
No judgment, no lectures — just an honest conversation about what it means to live in a world that never shuts up, and how we can protect our sanity and our democracy at the same time.
Join the conversation LIVE Tuesday at 7:30 PM ET/4:30 PM PT.
📚 Sources referenced in the episode:
– Why the News Feels Overwhelming—And How to Cope:
–
– Media Excess & Mental Health:
– Take a Break From Doomscrolling (samphireneuro):
– Media overload is hurting our mental health:
– Most Americans want to reduce political news consumption due to fatigue:
– Why more and more people are tuning the news out:
–
–
–
–
⏰ Timestamps ⏰
00:02 — Welcome + Intro
00:35 — Why the News Feels Overwhelming
01:56 — “Flood the Zone”: Overload as a Strategy
03:06 — Fear, Chaos, & Brain Overload
06:03 — Real-Life Fear Responses & Confusion
08:39 — Misinformation & Critical Thinking Breakdown
14:00 — Doomscrolling, Anxiety, & Mental Health
16:02 — What Doomscrolling Does to Your Brain
21:11 — COVID, Crisis Cycles, & Too Much Information
23:32 — Generational Differences in Handling Overload
27:38 — Why Americans Are Tuning Out Politics
33:28 — The Cost of Disengagement on Democracy
39:07 — Outrage Fatigue & Authoritarian Advantage
51:49 — Wedge Issues, Fear, & Manipulated Voting
58:59 — Psychology of Authoritarianism
1:06:04 — Solutions: Managing News Overload & Protecting Peace
1:18:57 — Rapid Fire: Fun + Wholesome Clips
1:24:20 — Outro
#newsfatigue #digitaloverload #brainrot #burnout #democracy #mentalhealth #authoritarianism #HeresTheThing #wethepeopleunite
🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍
source