How Doomscrolling Can Increase Anxiety
Staying up-to-date on world issues is an admirable thing, but consuming stories endlessly to avoid feeling ignorant can be harmful to your mental health. The same sentiment goes for over-consuming aspirational content in the name of bettering yourself when, in reality, you use it to dock points against yourself.
Or, as psychologists call it, doomscrolling.
What is Doomscrolling?
Doomscrolling can start innocently as a means to collect information. It’s human nature that when we feel overwhelmed or anxious, we seek out information to fill in gaps, get answers, and feel more in control.
However, social media has no endpoint. Algorithms are designed to update infinitely and show you more of what you’re drawn to the most. In that sense, there’s no way to get “all the information.” When “staying informed” turns into racing thoughts and feeling your heartbeat in your ears, you’re no longer informed. You’re fighting off an anxiety attack.
If it’s not a tragedy on the other side of the world, it can be picturesque posts of clean kitchens, hand-picked outfits, and freshly blown-out hair. These photos intend to inspire and motivate followers, but studies have shown consuming too much can actually lead to self-shaming.
Who is Most Likely to Doomscroll?
Studies show that men are slightly more likely than women to doomscroll, and younger adults are more likely to do so than older ones. Politically active people are also prone to doomscrolling at higher rates.
When we feel a certain way about the world, we often naturally seek out information to confirm our perspective and feel more grounded in it. This is known as confirmation bias—the tendency to filter in information that confirms our pre-existing beliefs. Even when shown the full story, we may only remember key details that back up whatever we originally thought about it.
If you’re feeling sad about the state of the world, doomscrolling can look like the overconsumption of sad stories to confirm what you believe: the world is an endless sea of tragedy with no good people fighting for it.
If you’re feeling dirty in your disorganized home, doomscrolling can look like an overblown Pinterest board of pristine living room photos. Confirming that you—and only you—are a messy slob while everyone else has their life together. (Even though these photos are likely staged and edited and do not accurately represent the homeowner’s everyday life.)
What Can You do if You Catch Yourself Doomscrolling?
The next time you catch yourself mindlessly grabbing your phone to scroll, pause, and acknowledge the behavior without judgment. Feel what happens in your body and notice how your mood changes.
Ask yourself questions like…
What led you to open the app?
What needs are you trying to fill by scrolling?
How can you satisfy those needs in other ways?
Why do bad news stories or perfect photos interest you?
What insecurities about yourself or the world might you be avoiding by scrolling?
How can you take action to confront those insecurities instead?
Break the Cycle By…
Limiting phone time before bed. Put it away two hours before you sleep, or keep it out of the bedroom altogether.
Turning off unnecessary notifications.
Limiting the number of sources you read and be intentional about the ones you do.
Replacing scrolling with real-world activities you enjoy that fill your social meter.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) can be a great way to get to the root cause of doomscrolling. People with anxiety and depression may scroll to confirm overwhelming or negative perceptions they have of the world. Break the habit by instead working through those thoughts and feelings with a therapist and replacing them with more positive, constructive ones.
Slowly, the content on your newsfeed may follow.
To find out more about my services, click here: Anxiety Therapy
