It’s 3 am and you’re just scrolling through your social media until you come across a news story that scares you… and then another… and another… and another…
Psychotherapist and coach Tess Brigham describes “doomscrolling” as mindlessly scrolling through negative news articles, social media posts or other content-sharing platforms. Essentially, it’s reading one negative story after another.
Photo via Healthline
According to Verywell Mind, one Canadian study has even called this phenomenon “social media panic.”
Signs You’re Doomscrolling
So, if you’ve spent several minutes or perhaps even hours engrossed in reading stories posted online, and they then to be of the distressing variety, it’s likely you’ve spent your time doomscrolling.
Mental Health Impact
Brigham says that those who struggle with anxiety or anxiety-related disorders such as panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and social anxiety disorder are especially prone to doom scroll because “anxiety is about control or the lack of control”
She explains: “The more anxious we feel, the more we try to control the situations and people around us. Being informed seems like a good way to control what’s happening around us, but it actually just creates more anxiety and fear.”
She also pointed out the feeling of, “If I know what’s happening, I can be better prepared when things get bad,” is also the reason for doomscrolling.
Daily doomscrolling isn’t a wise idea if you’re striving for good mental health.
In fact, it’s bad for your mental health because there is no real benefit to doom scroll. It only makes you more anxious and paranoid about the world around you. So, put your phone down and just go to sleep!
How To Prevent Doom Scrolling
If you’ve found yourself doomscrolling at 4 in the morning instead of resting, or your doomscrolling takes place multiple times a day, it’s time to do a mental health check-in and apply these tips and tricks so you won’t go down the rabbit hole.
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Attend something else. Put that phone down and go watch a TV or read a book. Look up a fun new recipe you could try and start cooking a delicious meal for dinner, or spend some time with your pets.
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Set a time limit. While it's fine to stay informed, keep yourself from entering doomscrolling territory by limiting yourself to only 20 minutes of scrolling.
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Seek out positivity. Instead of doomscrolling, watch something funny, look at family photos or read a story about something good in the world.
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Practice gratitude. Pinpoint things to be grateful for instead of things you need to be fearful of.
Please stay safe and remember to take care of your mental health, especially during this difficult time.
By: Aishah Akashah Ahadiat
