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DOOMSCROLLING: WHAT IT DOES TO YOUR BRAIN AND HOW TO STOP IT

DOOMSCROLLING: WHAT IT DOES TO YOUR BRAIN AND HOW TO STOP IT

What is doomscrolling?

Have you ever opened your phone just to check the time, only to find yourself scrolling for over an hour through Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok and other social media accounts while looking deep into bad news, crisis updates and depressing posts? Gotcha! That’s called doomscrolling. In a simple word, doomscrolling is a habit of endlessly scrolling through negative contents even when it makes you feel worse.

The cause: Why we keep scrolling?

As human beings, we are naturally incline to focus more on the negativity which known as “negativity bias” as we are attuned to potential threats and consider it as vital for survival. Nowadays, social media has become one of the main sources for updates on social issues, international conflicts, politics, economy and more, including all the negative news. Social media platforms use powerful algorithms to tailor contents based on user interests and preferences to maximize engagement. Unfortunately, they can quickly learn our tendency to engage with negative contents and adjust our feeds accordingly. This makes us hooked with the negative contents which lead to doomscrolling behaviour as it feeds our curiosity and activates our brain’s reward system by releasing small doses of dopamine whenever you find new content even if the content triggers our anxiety.

The effects: What doomscrolling does to you?

From our view, doomscrolling might seem harmless but compulsive urge to stay updated with the latest news can significantly impacts your professional works, physical and mental health. Studies have shown it can lead to increased anxiety and depression, cognitive overload, decision fatigue, sleep disruptions, circadian rhythm imbalances and even reduced focus and productivity.

How to stop doomscrolling?

Conclusion

This is important to note that staying informed is good, but drowning in negativity helps no one. You don’t need to absorb every crisis or negative news to be compassionate. Give yourself permission to rest and protect your mental health. Lastly, reconnect with your surrounding which can help you to decide what really matters. In a world full of noise, your peace is powerful. Scroll wisely!

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