📖 Read more: Depression: 10 Myths That Need to Be Debunked
📱 What Exactly Is Doom Scrolling?
Doom scrolling (or doomscrolling) is the continuous, prolonged consumption of negative content on your phone or computer — especially news. The term first appeared on Twitter in 2018 but went viral during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The word was officially added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary in September 2023, while Dictionary.com highlighted it as a trending word in August 2020.
It's not just about “too much phone time.” It's something more specific: the involuntary entrapment in a spiral of negative news, videos, and posts, without being able to stop — even when you know it's making you feel terrible.
Source: Morning Consult (2024), Reuters Institute Digital News Report (2023)
🧠 Why Can't You Stop? Neuroscience Explains
The answer lies deep inside your brain. According to the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ, 2021), there are at least three biological mechanisms that explain why you get “hooked” on bad news:
Negativity Bias
The brain gives more weight to negative information than positive. Evolutionarily, this helped us avoid danger. Today, it keeps us glued to our feeds. The classic study by Baumeister et al. (2001) proves it: “Bad is stronger than good.”
Seeking Control
During times of uncertainty, the brain believes that “staying informed” will allow it to control the situation. This illusion of control pushes us to keep scrolling, searching for “just one more piece of information.”
FOMO — Fear of Missing Out
The fear of missing something important. A 2024 study (Mandliya et al.) found that many users constantly refresh their feeds — afraid that something critical will slip past them.
🔬 The Inferior Frontal Gyrus: The Brain's “Bad News Filter”
According to a 2012 study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (Sharot et al., University of London), the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) of the brain acts as a filter: it selectively “blocks” negative information when updating our beliefs. This optimism bias is the reason most people believe they'll live longer and have fewer accidents than the average person.
The Problem
When the brain feels under threat — as happens during doom scrolling — this filter gets deactivated. Researchers at the University of London managed to turn optimists into pessimists by artificially suppressing IFG activity through transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). This means that the more you doom scroll, the more vulnerable you become to bad news.
💔 The Psychological Consequences: What the Studies Say
The science is clear: doom scrolling is not an innocent habit. Multiple studies show measurable harm:
Research Findings
"Exposure to negative news can make personal worries seem worse, and can even trigger acute stress reactions and certain symptoms of post-traumatic stress that can be quite long-lasting."
📲 How Platforms Keep You Hooked
It's not just your fault. Social media platforms are designed to keep you engaged. According to a study by the Cyprus University of Technology (2022), digital news environments increasingly emphasize high-impact stories, intensifying cycles of repeated viewing and prolonged scrolling.
Infinite Scrolling
Without “pages” or natural stopping points, content loads endlessly. Its inventor, Aza Raskin, expressed regret, stating it was "one of the first products designed not to help the user, but to keep them online for as long as possible."
Algorithmic Amplification
Algorithms prioritize emotionally charged content — often negative — because it generates higher engagement. The more you interact with bad news, the more bad news you see.
Financial Incentive
Revenue models are based on time spent. The longer you stay, the more ads you see and the more data is collected. Your mental health isn't part of their profit equation.
⚡ 7 Signs You're Doom Scrolling
How do you know if your scrolling has turned into doom scrolling? Researchers (Melnyk & Stadnik, 2024) developed a measurement scale based on 4 criteria: addiction, rigidity, mental health, and reflection. Here are the signs:
- You lose track of time — “5 minutes” turns into 45 without you realizing
- You feel worse afterward — you put down your phone feeling anxious, sad, or angry
- You can't stop — even when you know you should
- You actively seek out negative news — you're not just stumbling upon it
- Your sleep is affected — you scroll late at night instead of sleeping
- You avoid responsibilities — you postpone work, studies, socializing
- Your phone is the first thing you reach for in the morning — before even getting out of bed
🛡️ How to Break the Vicious Cycle: 8 Techniques
The good news? You can fight back. According to Cecille Ahrens, clinical director of Transcend Therapy, and Graham Davey, professor emeritus of psychology, there are specific strategies:
1. Set a Timer
Set a 10-minute timer before opening social media. When it goes off, you close the app — no negotiating.
2. Screen-Free Morning Routine
Don't touch your phone for the first 30 minutes after waking up. HBR research shows that just 3 minutes of negative news in the morning can “color” your entire day.
3. Replace with Positive Activities
Davey recommends: after the news, do something that lifts your mood — music, exercise, a warm bath. The brain needs a “counterweight.”
4. Selective News Consumption
Choose 1-2 trusted sources and check the news at specific times. Avoid feeds where you can't control what you see.
4 More Strategies
- 5. Boost the "bright side": Follow accounts with positive content (solutions-focused news). Research shows that 88% of those who consume positive news report having a good day.
- 6. Gratitude journaling: CMAJ research reports that positive psychology techniques — such as writing down 3 things you're grateful for — demonstrably enhance the brain's optimistic filter function.
- 7. Screen settings: Enable Screen Time/Digital Wellbeing on your phone, with daily limits for social media apps.
- 8. Unfollow / Mute: Unfollow accounts that make you feel worse. You're not obligated to see everything.
🌍 The Big Picture: News Avoidance vs. Doom Scrolling
An alarming trend is worth noting. According to the Reuters Institute Digital News Report (2024) from the University of Oxford, more and more people are avoiding news entirely: 39% worldwide in 2023, up from 29% in 2017. In the UK, interest in news has nearly halved since 2015.
Researchers describe this as a "divergent reaction": the same negative news environment drives some people toward overconsumption (doom scrolling) and others toward complete disconnection (news avoidance). Both reactions undermine democratic engagement. Journalist Amanda Ripley, writing in the Washington Post, proposed that the solution lies in journalism itself — incorporating hope, agency, and dignity into stories so that readers don't feel powerless.
"We're evolutionarily wired to scan for danger and anticipate it. That's why watching bad news can trick us into feeling more prepared."
🧪 Conclusion: You're Not “Weak” — You're Human
Doom scrolling isn't a sign of weakness or laziness. It's your brain doing what it has known for thousands of years: scanning for threats. The difference is the technology that exploits it — algorithms that feed this instinct with endless negative content, without natural stopping points.
The solution isn't to cut off the news entirely. The solution is informed engagement: selective, time-limited, with counterbalances. The brain can be trained toward optimism — as long as you give it the right stimuli.
The moment you're reading this article, you're already one step ahead. Now close this page — and go do something that makes you happy.
Sources & References
- Blades R. — Protecting the brain against bad news (CMAJ, 2021)
- Sharot T. et al. — Selectively altering belief formation in the human brain (PNAS, 2012)
- Achor S. & Gielan M. — Consuming Negative News Can Make You Less Effective at Work (Harvard Business Review, 2015)
- Briggs E. — How Americans Feel About Doomscrolling (Morning Consult, 2024)
- Wikipedia — Doomscrolling (multiple academic sources cited)