Doomscrolling (or Doomsurfing) is the habit of continuously scrolling through negative news, social media posts, or disturbing content, often for prolonged periods, even if it causes anxiety or stress.
See also: Sane Scrolling keeps you from losing control while watching Shorts
Why do people do Doomscrolling?
As with all bad habits, doomscrolling is not easy to stop. There can be many reasons for this. Some of the most common are:
- Psychology: Our brains focus primarily on negative information as a survival mechanism (negativity bias). This bias is deeply ingrained in our cognitive processes and can be seen as a manifestation of our evolutionary history. We tend to emphasize negativity in order to immediately detect and respond to potential threats (which helps us survive).
- Algorithmic traps: Social media platforms prioritize engaging content, which is often negative or sensational news. As we mentioned earlier, we are more likely to find negative news interesting.
- FOMO (Fear of Missing Out): People want to stay informed and aware of the latest developments, even if the news is disturbing.
- Addictive Behavior: With continuous scrolling, you can continue viewing content without realizing how much time has passed.
See also: Facebook: How to stop the new sound when scrolling?
How to stop Doomscrolling;
For your mental health, it's good to try to stop doomscrolling. Here are some tips on how to do it:
Set time limits
- Use app timers (e.g. iPhone's Screen Time, Android's Digital Wellbeing).
- Schedule specific times for checking the news and social media.
Change the content you see
- Follow positive, educational, and entertaining accounts, not just news sources.
- Unfollow or mute accounts that frequently post disturbing or stressful content.
- Use Do Not Disturb or turn off notifications.
Practice mindful consumption
- Ask yourself: “Is this helping me or just making me anxious?”
- If it's not useful, exit the app and start a productive activity.
Replace scrolling with healthier habits
- Read a book, listen to music, or go for a walk.
- Try meditation or journaling to process your emotions.
- Engage in offline hobbies (painting, music, exercise).
Stay informed, but set boundaries
- Choose one or two reliable news sources instead of doomscrolling across multiple websites.
- Limit your news intake to 10-15 minutes a day.
See also: The impact of social media on mental health
The above tips may be useful to you! Don't fall into the trap of social media and doomscrolling.
