We have all done it; opened up our favorite social media platform of choice and begun reading all the different posts from our social media “friends” and family members. A few of these posts may be positive updates on close friends, while many turn out to be entrepreneurial posts about the latest product/activity to try. Social media can be an excellent platform used by many to boost their presence. It certainly can provide great gains in the business world for many; however, it also can be damaging if not ingested properly. As we all know, there is much more negative news out than there is positive, so what may at first be a harmless activity to enjoy while passing time can soon become a treacherous addiction where its user spends disproportionate time focusing on negative news.
This is where the term “doomscrolling” comes in. What exactly is “doomscrolling” and how does it differ from positively reading through various feeds? According to the Mayo Clinic article, “Doomscrolling: Stop the scroll, protect your mental health,” the term officially became coined in 2020. “During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us were stuck at home, where we leaned heavily on our phones, computers and television sets to entertain us,” the article states. While using our devices helped quickly pass the time away, “these devices also exposed us to an abundance of negative information about lifestyle restrictions, protests over those restrictions, supply chain issues, empty grocery store shelves, people behaving badly and, of course, the ever-increasing death count.”
During these early days there was large uncertainty within our country. This drove many to seek out information. However, what first became a way to quickly get information turned into a “neverending loop of searching, finding negative information and searching for more.” While, thankfully, the early days of COVID are now a memory, many have sadly developed an addiction to “doomscrolling” and now find themselves concentrating on all of the negative news on social media.
How can doomscrolling affect our mental health? Doomscrolling can be dangerous because it highlights negative thoughts and feelings. This can lead to increased anxiety and depression. According to the article, UNC Health article, “Doom Scrolling And Its Effect On Your Mental Health,” the activity can also “lead to irritability, lack of productivity, poor concentration and mental fatigue which can further have a detrimental effect on a person’s overall sense of well being.” Countless studies found the more time we spend doomscrolling, “the more likely we are to experience sleep disturbances, stress-related physical symptoms and lower self-esteem.”
The activity can also severely affect your sleep by encouraging you to stay up later to catch up on all of the horrific news. This loss of sleep can affect your mood the following day, leading to you being less tolerant and impatient.
What are some ways to reduce the opportunity to begin doomscrolling? There are a few strategies that can help with exposure to negative news.
- First, consider what sources are giving you “news.” Make sure to unfollow or mute accounts that only post negative news. This can greatly reduce the amount of negative news that pops up on your feeds.
- Second, set a designated time each day to review the news. By setting a timer each night as you read through your feeds, one can know when your scrolling has become mindless.
- Third, practice different quiet activities instead. Replace your nightly scrolling with reading a new book or listening to music. This can greatly reduce the anxiety one may feel that accompanies doomscrolling.
Finally, set clear intentions on why you are picking up your phone to review social media posts. If it is to enjoy learning about the latest beauty or fitness trend, then go for it! However, if it is to find out what else is negatively impacting your world, put the phone down. Take the time to focus on your family and all the positive aspects of your life instead.
