I have a Twitter addiction. And I know I’m not alone.
As a former reporter, Twitter served as an important part of my job to keep me informed. As a PR professional, it continues to serve a similar purpose for staying on top of news.
However, for news junkies seeking constant updates, Twitter is an enabler, presenting its own roulette wheel of notifications, real-time updates, commentary, jokes, and dialogue around news developments and social issues. You never know what to expect, but you know there’s always something new coming down the pike. The same can be said for any other social media app – Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and more – making them particularly captivating.
And so, we scroll. Often, the constant scrolling excites us. Though it can also work to our detriment, or even, our horror.
In the wake of the pandemic, doomscrolling has become an all-too-familiar trend for many people. The term refers to binging on negative news, where one constantly scrolls through news sites or social media posts to stay up to date on the latest developments, even though the news is distressing. Over the last two years, how many times have you found yourself scrolling through news updates and social media posts regarding news that shocked, disturbed or terrified you?
And yet, despite the unnerving nature of doomscrolling, many of us can’t stop.
Why do we doomscroll?
The inclination to doomscroll can be rooted in good intentions. Doomscrolling starts when a news audience or social media users want to stay current on the latest news, particularly when it’s negative. From there, the behavior can turn into compulsive scrolling. This dark fascination is not unlike the inability to look away from a car crash.
In a study on “Doomscrolling on Social Media Newsfeeds,” Benjamin K. Johnson of the University of Florida found that the act of doomscrolling goes beyond keeping informed.
“It’s this obsession with trying to make sense of the crisis or all of our crises,” Johnson said in an article from Futurity.org. “It’s the combination of living through a crisis and having a smartphone with a newsfeed that never ends. It just keeps going. So, we keep scrolling.”
Pamela Rutledge, director of the California-based Media Psychology Research Center, told the BBC that doomscrolling “really just describes the compulsive need to try and get answers when we’re afraid.”
Additionally, the design of social media apps enables curious minds to constantly scroll for the next bit of news, which can be incessant during uncertain times. But, as Bethany Teachman, a University of Virginia professor of psychology, said in a Q&A with UVA Today, “ … there is no one magic piece of information, news story, or Facebook post. Instead, we have to learn to tolerate the uncertainty.”
How doomscrolling affects us
One doesn’t have to look far to understand or affirm the negative effects of doomscrolling. Most notably, the act of doomscrolling can reinforce a negative mindset and adversely influence your mental health.
A German study conducted in March and April of 2020 associated anxiety and depression with the consumption of COVID-19 related media, while another survey in Russia found similar results. A study from Dartmouth College found increased smartphone usage led to more anxiety and depression among college students during the early stages of the pandemic.
In an article from VeryWellMind.com, psychotherapist and coach Tess Brigham, MFT, stated that doomscrolling may be a coping mechanism for people who want to take control of situations in which they feel anxious. However, the act of doomscrolling only creates more anxiety and fear.
“It’s bad for your mental health because there is no real benefit to doomscrolling,” Brigham said in the article. “It only makes you more anxious and paranoid about the world around you.”
Tips for curbing the inclination to doomscroll
There are several small steps people can take to mitigate the desire to doomscroll. These include:
- Set limits. Keep track of how much time you spend scrolling through news and social media feeds. Set a timer for this activity and adhere to your limit. Consider having a friend or your partner remind you when you should disconnect.
- Establish boundaries. Similarly, only allow yourself to check news and social media at a specific time of the day. Doing so can help you establish a fixed routine and communicate to yourself when you should be disconnected and put your phone down.
- Be selective with the news you follow. Not every media outlet or influencer is trustworthy. Only follow news outlets or experts that you trust the most. Monitor the types of media you consume as well as the tone and rhetoric. Stay attentive of the news subjects you focus on and discuss with others and how much time you devote to these.
- Avoid social media. Avoiding social channels doesn’t necessarily mean quitting, but some time away from social media activity can be beneficial. If a news topic breaks or is trending that you know may cause anxiety or distress, choose to stay off social media for the day. For a longer-term solution, consider deleting apps from your phone that are readily accessible and often lead to doomscrolling, be it Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or whatever app consumes the most of your time.
- Engage in positivity and gratitude. The antonym of doomscrolling can be referred to as “hopescrolling” or “joyscrolling.” Seek out news that is positive and invigorates you. Or seek something positive to engage in away from your screen. Focus your time on things that bring you joy and don’t cause anxiety or fear.
One of my favorite follows on Twitter is journalist Karen K. Ho, a Business Insider reporter who is also the creator of the Doomscrolling Reminder Bot.
Every few hours, the Doomscrolling Reminder Bot shares a tweet that directly asks its audience if they’re doomscrolling. It shares reminders that stress manifests in different ways, which may include constant scrolling on social media. And it suggests taking breaks from screens, taking steps to monitor self-care that include drinking water, and doing something you enjoy to ensure you’re able to rest and recover.
https://twitter.com/karenkho/status/1490195835073802243?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Such reminders are critical to our health and well-being. On more than a few occasions, the bot has caught me doomscrolling. It’s also caught its creator engaging in this activity.
Having these reminders can be effective in breaking the perpetual cycle many of us put ourselves through: engaging in endless scrolling because we’re anxious or bored or engrossed – and making whatever emotional state we’re experiencing only worse.
Like many bad habits, engaging in doomscrolling is easy and addictive and requires thoughtful steps to break. But with careful effort and planning, you can break the cycle and make your mental health and well-being priority No. 1. Don’t be afraid to log off and disconnect; you may find that all the anxiety and worry that comes with negative news just isn’t worth it.