Philip Kretsedemas, a Massachusetts-based sociologist and Managing Director of Research, Evaluation, and Data Analytics at the Acacia Center for Justice, is warning individuals about a common and avoidable risk: treating nonstop information as a substitute for clear thinking and self-care. If you want to follow his work, you can read his essays on Substack at philipkretsedemas.substack.com, listen to his podcast on Spotify and follow him on X.
BOSTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / February 4, 2026 / Philip Kretsedemas, a sociologist whose work spans immigration policy, social research, and public analysis, is issuing a public alert about a modern pattern that quietly erodes judgment, focus, and well-being: the information overload trap.
The trap is simple. People keep consuming more updates, more commentary, and more "explainer" content while spending less time processing what they are taking in. The result is often a life that feels busy and informed but internally scattered. Over time, this can shape decisions, relationships, sleep, and the ability to respond calmly to real problems.
This is not a niche issue. It is a mainstream habit, reinforced by how news, social platforms, and personal feeds work.
About half of U.S. adults say they at least sometimes get news from social media.
In 2024, more than 7 in 10 adults reported the future of the nation as a significant source of stress.
In 2024, 43% of adults said they felt more anxious than they did the previous year.
National health data shows 12.1% of adults report regular feelings of worry, nervousness or anxiety.
A Pew report summarized by the Associated Press found that about 20% of Americans regularly get news from influencers on social media.
Kretsedemas says the predictable outcome of this environment is a widening gap between external awareness and internal steadiness. The mind becomes trained to scan and react. The interior life, including the slower work of reflection and self-understanding, gets pushed aside.
Kretsedemas noted: "People are surrounded by signals that demand a response. The mistake is believing that keeping up is the same as making sense."
He added: "When the inner life gets ignored, even good information becomes noise. You end up living in reaction mode."
And: "The most common sign of the trap is not ignorance. It is fatigue paired with the feeling that you still have to keep reading."
The avoidable mistake
This alert is not about avoiding news, research or serious issues. It is about a specific error in how people relate to information.
The error: treating constant intake as a form of control.
People often believe that if they read enough, watch enough, and stay current, they will feel safer and make better decisions. But the volume never ends. The feed is designed to continue. The sense of urgency becomes a background condition.
In Kretsedemas' work, including his recent writing focused on self-care and personal life lessons, a core idea is that people are not able to interpret the world clearly if they are not at peace with themselves. When internal tension is high, even neutral information can feel threatening, and hard topics can become unmanageable.
Quick self-check quiz
Answer each question Yes or No. Be honest. This is for you.
Do you check news or social feeds within the first 15 minutes of waking up?
Do you feel a pull to refresh or scroll when you are stressed or uncertain?
Do you consume information late at night, then struggle to fall asleep?
Do you often feel "behind," even after you have read a lot?
Do you save many articles or posts but rarely return to them calmly?
Do you feel more reactive in conversations after a heavy news day?
Do you find it hard to focus on one task without checking updates?
Do you confuse being informed with being prepared?
Do you avoid quiet time because your mind feels too loud?
Do you feel you have less patience than you did a year ago?
Scoring (simple):
0-2 Yes: Low risk pattern
3-5 Yes: Moderate risk pattern
6-10 Yes: High risk pattern
What to do next decision tree
Start here: What was your score?
If you scored 0-2 Yes
Keep your current habits.
Add one small protection: no feeds during meals.
Do a weekly reset: one hour to reflect on what mattered this week and what did not.
If you scored 3-5 Yes
-
Pick one daily boundary for seven days:
No feeds for the first 30 minutes after waking, or
No feeds after 8 p.m.
-
Replace that time with a short "tend to yourself" routine:
Write 5 lines about what you actually feel, not what you think you "should" feel.
Name one decision you are avoiding.
List one next step that is small and real.
Choose one source for deep reading and ignore the rest for a week.
Re-take the quiz after seven days.
If you scored 6-10 Yes
Treat this like a risk issue, not a willpower issue.
-
Do a 72-hour reset:
Remove push notifications for news and social apps.
Set two short check-in windows per day (example: lunchtime and early evening).
-
Add a grounding step before you read anything:
Ask: What do I need right now, information or steadiness?
If you feel persistent anxiety, sleep disruption or a sense of panic, consider speaking with a licensed health professional.
-
After the reset, rebuild your intake with rules:
One primary source list.
One weekly long read.
No scrolling when you are already upset.
Why this matters now
Kretsedemas's alert comes at a moment when public life is loud and personal life is crowded. Many people feel they must track everything to be responsible. But responsibility also includes self-management. A person who is constantly activated is less able to respond thoughtfully, less able to listen, and more likely to make avoidable mistakes.
In his statement, Kretsedemas emphasized: "The goal is not to know less. The goal is to know in a way that does not hollow you out."
Call to action
Run the self-check today. If your score surprised you, treat that as useful data. Share the quiz with a friend or family member who seems constantly on edge or always scrolling. The simplest intervention is often the first one: Set one boundary and protect your interior life long enough to think clearly again.
About Philip Kretsedemas
Philip Kretsedemas is a sociologist based in Massachusetts. He is Managing Director of Research, Evaluation, and Data Analytics at the Acacia Center for Justice. His career has spanned nonprofit policy work and higher education, including a long tenure as a sociology professor. He publishes essays on Substack at philipkretsedemas.substack.com, shares updates on X at x.com/PhilipK1967, and hosts a podcast available on Spotify.
Media Contact
Philip Kretsedemas
info@philipkretsedemas.com
https://www.philipkretsedemas.com/
philipkretsedemas.substack.com
x.com/PhilipK1967
SOURCE: Philip Kretsedemas
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