Doomscrolling is when we badly scroll negative news on social media or news websites, even when it causes distress. Psychologically, this behavior is linked to the brain’s tendency toward negativity bias which is the propensity to give disproportionate attention to negative information that may suggest danger. In uncertain times (e.g., during a pandemic or political unrest), we ground ourselves by soothing any anxiety by consuming bad news; thus, this negativity bias inflates our fixation on troubling news headlines.
Another reason people may doomscroll is for the sense of control and preparedness. People believe that consuming more bad news will keep them informed about threats, even though it may lead to more anxiety/helplessness. Ultimately, social media platforms and news outlets are motivated by profitability, and they continue to funnel more overstimulating and sensational content to users to increase content engagement.
Breaking the cycle of doomscrolling takes a deliberate effort: set self-imposed time restrictions on news consumption, look for some positive or solution-focused story, and use mindfulness to address the anxiousness that comes from overconsumption of distressing news.
Doomscrolling is addictive not only due to the sensation of urgency but to the brain’s positive reinforcement loops, or reward pathway. Most of the time, the news is bad, but there is a very small release of dopamine every time an update is checked – dopamine is the neurotransmitter associated with reward, pleasure, and motivation. So, you get this little blast of relief or certainty about what’s going to happen next – and get relief in a world filled with so much distressing content.
Additionally, the social aspect of doomscrolling enters into play. If you are seeing lots of people post or comment on bad news as it unfolds, you are seeing a social behavior that fits into the definition of social validation, and makes you feel part of a group that is collectively experiencing the same fears and uncertainties. Social differences notwithstanding, it is an opportunity to bond, but can also serve to exacerbate anxiety and negativity.
Mental health professionals advocate for any or several of the following strategies to address doomscrolling: create a schedule around news consumption (rather than accessing news 24/7); practice a digital detox; substitute doomscrolling with other activities that could be deemed less harmful to your mental and emotional health (exercise, reading something positive, in-person connection with friends and family); and developing awareness of specific emotions and triggers that “call” you to doomscroll that can allow for pausing before you make a choice about engaging in doomscrolling or exploring a more productive activity.
Understanding these mechanisms is helpful in managing personal control of their media habits and reducing the harm of brought on by constant exposure to “bad news.”
Doomscrolling is a common habit, especially now that we have smartphones and unlimited access to digital media and news. This phenomenon is tied to some underlying psychological principles of human behaviour. One explanation is the human brain’s tendency to focus on threat detection. In evolutionary terms, this is measurable, as monitoring our environment for risks of an impending threat or danger was a matter of survival. Nowadays, people find themselves doomscrolling mainly to obsessively check negative news, whether presented as actual news or opinion, in an effort to “stay prepared” for possible upcoming threats to health or personal circumstances.
Another explanation for why doomscrolling seems to be a never-ending cycle is our brain’s way of processing uncertainty and fear. When humans face uncertainty, they tend to focus on collecting more information when in fact we all now intuitively know that all we achieve is increased anxiety.
Moreover, social media is the primary culprit for perpetuating this vicious cycle. Positive attention-grabbing information from social media or news is few and far between. All social media (smartphone apps) tech companies operate an attention economy that encourages the consumption of new, exciting and sometimes even shocking content; and for these firms, providing negative news or excitement is the cheapest content possible to create, and they do. It will be interesting when the social media apps will stop using such negative, fear based content as engagement for consumption.
Today, experts suggest we implement having tight time limits for news consumption, practice detox periods on news consumption daily, and even alter or consciously direct our attention to positive or solution focused content instead. It is worthwhile to understand the psychological principles of doomscrolling as an initial step to healthier media consumption practices, but more importantly, to promote better mental health.
