What is "doomscrolling" and why do so many people experience it?
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The habit of continuously scrolling through social media to read bad news or negative information is drawing increasing attention. This behaviour, known as doomscrolling, can make it difficult for a person to stop even though the information being read actually triggers anxiety.
The term doomscrolling refers to the habit of consuming negative information continuously through mobile phones, social media, or news platforms.
This phenomenon has been discussed more widely since the COVID-19 pandemic, when the public faced a constant flow of information about cases, deaths, policies, and various health risks.
Why do people engage in doomscrolling?
There are several reasons that can lead a person to keep seeking and reading negative information.
- Wanting to know the latest developments
When an event is perceived as threatening or uncertain, humans are naturally driven to seek information to understand the situation. Seeking information can actually help a person make decisions, but the habit can become excessive when done without limits.
- Fear of missing out on information
Social media allows new information to appear almost endlessly. A person who feels they must always know the latest developments can keep scrolling even though they have actually obtained enough information.
This condition can turn reading the news into a repetitive cycle: seeking new information, encountering negative news, feeling worried, then returning to seek information to reduce uncertainty.
- Algorithms keep users finding content
Digital platforms use recommendation systems to display content deemed relevant to users’ interests. When a person frequently opens certain news or posts, similar content can keep appearing on screen.
As a result, users can easily move from one negative news item to another without realising how much time has been spent.
- Feeling more prepared to face threats
Reading information about possible bad outcomes can provide a feeling that one is preparing oneself. However, if the information consumed keeps increasing without producing clear action, the habit can actually increase psychological pressure.
Experimental research found that brief exposure to negative COVID-19 news for around two to four minutes was already enough to lower participants’ positive mood and optimism.
The impact can differ from person to person. However, research shows a link between problematic social media use and a number of mental health issues.
A systematic review and meta-analysis covering 182 studies with a total of more than 1.1 million participants found a positive association between social media use and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Problematic social media use is also linked to sleep disturbance and lower well-being.
Other research during the pandemic using daily assessments also found that access to social media was associated with increased symptoms of depression and PTSD in the group studied. However, this association does not mean that social media use directly causes mental disorders in every person.
- Increases anxiety
Repeated exposure to negative news can make a person keep thinking about various bad possibilities. Unresolved uncertainty then drives people back to seek information.
- Disrupts mood
Research testing brief exposure to COVID-19 news found a decline in positive emotions after participants read or watched the negative information.
- Disrupts sleep
Doomscrolling at night can make a person keep using their phone when they should be starting to rest. More broadly, research shows that problematic social media use is linked to sleep problems.
Lack of sleep itself can also affect emotional state. A meta-analysis of 154 studies found that various forms of sleep loss are associated with reduced positive emotions and increased anxiety symptoms.
The habit does not have to be stopped by abandoning social media entirely. Several simple steps can be taken to control its use.
- Set time limits
Set a specific time for reading the news or opening social media. After obtaining the information needed, stop scrolling.
- Avoid opening the news before bed
Allow a gap between phone use and bedtime. This can help prevent the habit of continuing to seek information when the body should be resting.
- Turn off unnecessary notifications
News and social media notifications can be a trigger for someone to reopen an app. Turning off unimportant notifications can help reduce that urge.
- Check information sources
Not all posts on social media are accurate information. Limiting consumption of information from credible sources can also reduce the time spent seeking clarification from various posts.
- Balance negative information
Research shows that exposure to content about acts of kindness does not have the same negative emotional impact as exposure to COVID-19 news in the experiments conducted. Therefore, information consumption can be balanced with positive content and activities away from screens.
- Stop when you start feeling more anxious
If reading the news actually makes your mind more restless without providing practical benefit, taking a break can be an option. Do other activities such as walking, talking to someone close, reading a book, or resting.
Doomscrolling is not merely a habit of reading the news
Fundamentally, following the news is not a bad thing. Information helps