As the saying goes, “knowledge is power!” It is a natural desire to learn new information, as this helps inform decision-making, fosters critical thinking, and provides tools to solve problems. However, in the age of constant access to information, professional counselors caution that too much knowledge can render a person paralyzed with anxiety. Perhaps a new saying is necessary to adequately reflect the times of too much information, “analysis paralysis.” In this era of information overload, the constant pursuit of knowledge can lead to negative consequences for our mental health. Thus, the pursuit of knowledge can have a double-edged nature, and it is necessary to learn to strike a healthy balance in the quest for information.
The Dangers of Too Much Knowledge According to Professional Counselors
While knowledge is beneficial, an excess of information, which is so easily attainable by 24/7 “news” and online information, can pose significant challenges to our well-being, such as:
1. Overwhelming Anxiety
When the amount and complexity of information exceeds the person’s ability to process that information, feelings of anxiety arise. Professional counselors explain that feeling overwhelmed by cognitively overstimulating information leads to feeling worried, tense, apprehensive, and frustrated. In addition, constant exposure to distressing information, like a global crisis, political turmoil, concerning health issues, and environmental threats, leads to feelings of anxiety. Simply being presented with such a sheer volume of knowledge and a feeling of powerlessness to act on the information can lead to higher levels of stress and anxiety.
2. Decision Paralysis
When coping with a stressful situation, at the same time trying to make a decision, it is easy to become hyper-vigilant in the search for information. In such a state, frantically searching for a solution, it is common to fail to consider all possible alternatives, process information in a disorganized manner, and rapidly shift among possible solutions. Further, the fear of making the “wrong” decision is present when an abundance of conflicting information is presented. Thus, the struggle to make appropriate decisions, due to the overload of conflicting information, leads to “analysis paralysis.”
3. Loss of Perspective
The old school newsroom phrase “if it bleeds, it leads” was coined to reflect the intuition among journalists that stories about crime, bloodshed, and tragedy sell more newspapers than stories about good news. However, a large portion of news readership now occurs online—the motivation to sell papers transformed into a motivation to keep readers clicking on new articles. Excessive amounts of information may lead to a distorted sense of reality. Specifically, a negativity bias, which has been argued, from an evolutionary perspective, to represent an adaptive advantage to err on the side of caution and maximize survival. However, in reality, a negativity bias can make one perceive the world as more dangerous or helpless than it is. Thus, a loss of perspective on what is real occurs.
4. Cognitive Overload
The brain can only effectively process so much information at any given time. Thus, with the presence of such a significant amount of information, whether online or during a 24/7 “news” cycle, our limited cognitive capacity can significantly restrict the ability to make accurate decisions, reduce our focus, and decrease our productivity. Furthermore, this overload can negatively impact our psychological well-being and physical health, our ability to distinguish important from trivial details, and harm our social interactions with others who think differently.
How to Strike a Balance Between Enough and Too Much Information
Remember this saying in your quest for knowledge: “We used to be smart enough to know what we did not know and would ask a professional in that field for guidance; now we are dumb enough to think we know everything because we can look it up online!” Yes, you can look up how to rewire your bathroom light, but that does not mean it is a good idea. Perhaps, calling an electrician is the smartest thing to do. Yes, you can look up whether or not that mole is cancerous, but that does not mean you have the detailed knowledge of a dermatologist. Is it worth the risk to try and determine if a mole is cancerous or not? Sometimes, the smartest thing you can do is ask a professional counselor! Sure, you can educate yourself, just remember you are not trained in that particular field and may still need that professional guidance to adequately rewire the bathroom light.
Other tips include:
1. Prioritize Quality Over Quantity
Focus on acquiring knowledge from scholarly publications that adhere to journalistic ethics, such as verifying information from two sources or peer-reviewed publications. Avoid mindlessly scrolling someone’s feed, as what works for one person may not be effective for you. Also, avoid chasing every detail of a situation and avoid reading the same story on various platforms; these will exacerbate cognitive overload.
2. Limit Exposure to Distressing Content
Set time limits and boundaries around news and social media consumption, especially during stressful times. Further, pick one or two sources of media to look through, and when your time is up…STOP! Endless scrolling wreaks havoc on your well-being!
3. Practice Critical Thinking
Not all information is created equal. Think about the source, is it reputable? Has the information been cross-referenced? Is the author an expert in their field? Ask yourself, who stands to gain from the spreading of the information? Is the information being used to spread hate, misogyny, racism, and stereotypes? Is the information being sensationalized for added effect? Learn to evaluate and distinguish credible from irrelevant propaganda.
4. Take Breaks
Allow your brain to rest after spending time consuming information. This is especially important at night. Turn off your TV, computer, or phone and allow yourself to meditate, read, or chat with a loved one. Professional counselors encourage clients to engage in mindfulness activities that allow for a deep connection with self or someone else.
5. Embrace Action Over Passive Consumption
Accumulating too much information can lead to feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, especially if the information is negative. Search for proactive activities that can lead to making positive changes in your life and in your community. Rather than doom scroll about threats to the environment, which can seem endless, volunteer at your local parks department and organize a town-wide clean-up. Taking action feels wonderful!
If you still need help combating your analysis paralysis, contact a professional counselor at Resolve Community Counseling Center at (908) 322-9180 to inquire about individual therapy. This will help you to create an individualized treatment plan to take back your life and feel good again.
Emily Parodi, LPC, LMHC
Psy. D. Doctoral Intern
References
— da Silva Cezar, B. G., & Maçada, A. C. G. (2023). Cognitive overload, anxiety, cognitive fatigue, avoidance behavior and data literacy in big data environments. Information Processing & Management, 60(6), 103482.
— Molins, F., Martínez-Tomás, C., & Serrano, M. Á. (2022). Implicit negativity bias leads to greater loss aversion and learning during decision-making. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(24), 17037.
— Phillips-Wren, G., & Adya, M. (2020). Decision making under stress: The role of information overload, time pressure, complexity, and uncertainty. Journal of Decision Systems, 29(sup1), 213-225.
— Robertson, C. E., Pröllochs, N., Schwarzenegger, K., Pärnamets, P., Van Bavel, J. J., & Feuerriegel, S. (2023). Negativity drives online news consumption. Nature Human Behaviour, 7(5), 812-822.
— Shahrzadi, L., Mansouri, A., Alavi, M., & Shabani, A. (2024). Causes, consequences, and strategies to deal with information overload: A scoping review. International Journal of Information Management Data Insights, 4(2), 100261.
