Are You a Doomscroller?

Are You a Doomscroller?

What is Doomscrolling? Imagine this —  You pick up your smartphone to check what’s going on, right? But then, you start seeing all this bad or negative news. But for some reason, you can’t stop scrolling. You keep on scrolling, even though it’s making you feel more anxious and worried.

That’s doomscrolling. Doomscrolling is being trapped in a cycle of reading negative or bad news online and continually scrolling through it, even though it makes you feel anxious, and you know it’s not good for you. You’re drawn to it, and you can’t stop. It’s almost like an addiction.

Doomscrolling can mess with your mind and cause physical problems, too. You might feel very anxious, stressed, or even depressed. And it’s not just your mind; it can mess with your sleep and even cause physical problems like headaches. Not only that, but it’s a huge time-waster, and it can make you feel more isolated, even though you’re constantly looking at your phone or scrolling on your PC or tablet.

Doomscrolling isn’t good for you. It has real physical and psychological manifestations, but sometimes it’s hard to avoid. It is very easy to get sucked down that rabbit hole.

Things that might help you avoid doomscrolling.

First, set some limits. Use timers or app limits to control how much time you spend scrolling. And be picky about what you see. Unfollow or mute accounts that continually dump negativity on you. Find articles that make you feel good or hopeful instead.

Get away from the screen! Go for a walk, read a book, or do something you enjoy. A little time in nature or just a bit of fresh air can help a lot. Pay attention to how you feel. If you start feeling bad or anxious, take a break. Consider turning off notifications, so you’re not constantly bombarded with articles that can drag you back into that cesspool of darkness.

Try setting specific times to check the news, too. Don’t focus on sites that continually smother you with bad or negative news. Stop yourself. Don’t scroll on and on for hours. It’s good to stay informed, but don’t allow yourself to be bombarded by negative news.

There’s always plenty of bad news. There’s always plenty of doomsayers. But don’t allow yourself to get trapped in doomscrolling. 

Don’t be a Doomscroller!