All About Doomscrolling

Let’s be honest, most of us have been there. It starts innocently, you open your phone to check the news, maybe just to see what’s trending before bed. Five minutes later, you’re reading about political chaos, environmental disasters, economic uncertainty, or another heartbreaking story. Before you know it, an hour has passed, your stomach feels tight, your heart rate’s up, and your brain is buzzing with anxiety.

That is doomscrolling.

As a therapist, I hear about this habit all the time. People say things like, “I can’t stop checking the news,” or “It’s like I know it’s bad for me, but I keep doing it.” And they’re not alone. Doomscrolling is spending excessive time consuming negative or distressing online content. It’s a psychological response rooted in how our brains are wired for survival, connection, and control.

Let’s unpack what’s really going on beneath the surface when we find ourselves spiraling through the never ending scroll of bad news and what we can do to stop it before it hijacks our mental health.

What Is Doomscrolling, Really?

The term doomscrolling seemed to became popular during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic when uncertainty was sky-high, and many of us were glued to our screens trying to make sense of a changing world. But the behavior itself has existed for much longer.

At its core, doomscrolling is the compulsive consumption of negative information online often through social media or news platforms. It’s that cycle where one distressing headline leads to another and another like falling down an emotional rabbit hole.

It’s not just “staying informed.” It’s when information seeking crosses the line into sabotage. You start to notice that the more you scroll, the worse you feel, but you can’t seem to stop.

Sound familiar? That’s because doomscrolling taps into some powerful psychological mechanisms that make it hard to pull away.

The Brain Science Behind Doomscrolling

1) Your Brain Is Wired for Threat Detection

From an evolutionary standpoint, our brains are designed to pay attention to danger. The ability to notice and remember threats helped our ancestors survive. Back then, “danger” meant spotting a predator or avoiding poisonous food.

Today, danger looks different but your brain doesn’t know that. When you see alarming news, it triggers the same ancient survival system. The amygdala (the part of the brain that detects threat) lights up, activating your fight-or-flight response. Your heart rate may increase, your muscles tense, and your attention narrows in on the perceived threat.

In other words, doomscrolling hijacks your nervous system. Every new headline acts like a mini “danger alert,” and your brain stays on high alert because it’s trying to protect you.

2) The Illusion of Control

One of the biggest reasons people keep scrolling through distressing content is the belief that more information equals more control.

When the world feels unpredictable, we look for patterns or explanations that help us feel safer. Reading “just one more article” or watching “just one more update” can feel like you’re preparing yourself. But instead of creating safety, it often deepens anxiety because the more we learn, the more out of control we feel.

It’s the brain’s way of saying: If I can just understand everything, I’ll be safe.

But the truth is, no amount of information can eliminate uncertainty.

3) Dopamine and the Search for Relief

Here’s the tricky part: doomscrolling actually activates the same reward system in your brain that’s triggered by gambling or social media likes.

Each time you scroll, you’re searching for something maybe hope, maybe a sense of closure. The moment you find a new headline or a shocking update, your brain releases a little bit of dopamine, the feel good neurotransmitter that reinforces behavior.

It’s a cycle of anticipation and reward. For example:

– Maybe the next post will explain what’s going on.

– Maybe I’ll find something that makes me feel better.

– Maybe there’s good news next.

But it rarely satisfies. The relief is fleeting, and before you know it, you’re scrolling again. That’s why doomscrolling can feel addictive, it gives small bursts of stimulation in a context that’s overwhelmingly negative.

4) The Negativity Bias

Humans naturally give more attention to negative information than positive information. It’s called the negativity bias, and it’s built into our brains to help us learn from mistakes and avoid danger.

Unfortunately, this means bad news captures your attention faster, sticks in your memory longer, and evokes stronger emotions than neutral or positive information. That’s why even if you scroll past dozens of neutral or uplifting stories, your brain zeroes in on the one tragic headline.

Combine that bias with endless access to distressing content, and you have the perfect recipe for emotional burnout.

Why Doomscrolling Feels So Hard to Stop

Doomscrolling doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It often surfaces when we’re already vulnerable feeling anxious, lonely, or powerless. Let’s look at a few psychological reasons it becomes such a tough cycle to break.

1) Anxiety Loves Information

Anxiety thrives on uncertainty. The less we know, the more our brains fill in the blanks usually with worst-case scenarios. Doomscrolling gives the illusion that if we just gather enough information, we’ll feel calmer. But it’s like scratching an itch that only gets itchier.

In reality, excessive exposure to distressing content feeds anxiety instead of soothing it. It’s a feedback loop: anxiety drives scrolling, and scrolling fuels more anxiety.

2) We Mistake Awareness for Empathy

Many people tell me they feel guilty if they don’t stay informed about what’s happening in the world. They worry that tuning out makes them selfish or uncaring. But constantly immersing yourself in trauma and tragedy doesn’t make you more empathetic it makes you more emotionally depleted.

True empathy requires boundaries. You can care deeply without consuming every painful detail. In fact, protecting your mental health helps you sustain compassion over the long term.

3) Social Media Amplifies Everything

Social media algorithms are designed to prioritize engagement not well-being. Emotional, controversial, or alarming content tends to spread faster because it triggers stronger reactions.

This means your feed is often skewed toward negativity even if that’s not your intention. The more you interact with distressing content, the more of it you’re shown. It’s not just you being “weak” or “addicted” it’s a system engineered to keep you hooked.

4) We Crave Connection During Chaos

In moments of crisis, scrolling can feel like a way to connect with others who are experiencing the same fear or outrage. You might think, At least I’m not the only one feeling this way.

That sense of shared experience can be comforting at first but it can also pull you deeper into collective anxiety. Before long, you’re not just processing your own emotions but absorbing the emotional energy of thousands of strangers online.

The Emotional Toll of Doomscrolling

If you’ve noticed that doomscrolling leaves you feeling drained, anxious, or numb, you’re not imagining it. Constant exposure to distressing news takes a real toll on mental health.

Here are some common signs that doomscrolling might be impacting you:

– Increased anxiety or irritability

– Sleep difficulties, especially if you scroll before bed

– Difficulty concentrating or staying present

– Hopelessness or helplessness

– Emotional numbing (feeling detached or indifferent)

– Physical tension, headaches, or fatigue

Over time, this can lead to compassion fatigue, where your emotional reserves are depleted, and you feel disconnected from your own empathy. It can also reinforce a worldview where everything feels dangerous or broken making it harder to experience hope or joy.

How to Break the Cycle (Without Going Completely Offline)

The good news is that doomscrolling isn’t a moral failure it’s a learned behavior, and like any habit, it can be unlearned with awareness and intention. Here’s how to start reclaiming your peace of mind.

1) Notice Without Judgment

The first step is awareness. Try observing your scrolling habits like a curious outsider rather than criticizing yourself.

Ask yourself:

When do I tend to doomscroll most (morning, late at night, during stress)?

How do I feel before, during, and after?

What emotions am I avoiding or soothing when I scroll?

This kind of mindful noticing helps you interrupt the autopilot behavior. You can’t change what you don’t recognize.

2) Name the Feeling Beneath the Scroll

Often, doomscrolling isn’t about the news itself it’s about the feeling underneath. Maybe it’s anxiety, boredom, loneliness, or fear of uncertainty. When you can identify what you’re actually feeling, you can meet that need more directly.

For example:

– If you’re anxious, try grounding exercises or deep breathing.

– If you’re lonely, reach out to a friend instead of your phone.

– If you’re bored, engage in a creative or physical activity.

– Naming your emotion gives it shape and once it has shape, it has a solution.

3) Set Boundaries Around News Consumption

You don’t have to live in ignorance to protect your peace. You just need structure.

Some ideas:

– Designate “news windows.” Choose one or two specific times a day to check reputable news sources, then log off.

– Set time limits. Use your phone’s screen-time tools to limit social media or news app use.

– Avoid doomscrolling before bed. The last thing your nervous system needs before sleep is a dose of global chaos.

Remember: it’s okay to be informed without being immersed.

4) Curate Your Feed Intentionally

You have more control over what you consume than you might think. Unfollow accounts or mute keywords that consistently trigger distress. Follow sources that balance realism with hope accounts that focus on solutions, positive stories, or psychological insight.

And don’t underestimate the impact of sprinkling your feed with lighthearted or nourishing content: nature photography, humor, art, or anything that reminds you that beauty still exists alongside hardship.

5) Practice Digital Mindfulness

Before opening an app, take a pause. Ask yourself:

What am I hoping to find right now?

How do I want to feel when I close this?

If your goal is to relax or connect, there might be better ways to meet that need than diving into the news cycle. Try journaling, calling a friend, or stepping outside for a few minutes.

You can even place sticky notes on your devices with grounding reminders like “Pause before you scroll” or “Is this helping me right now?”

6) Re-anchor in the Present

When doomscrolling pulls you into future worries or global overwhelm, grounding yourself in the present moment helps calm your nervous system.

Simple grounding techniques include:

– Feeling your feet on the floor and taking slow, deep breaths.

– Describing your surroundings using your senses (what you see, hear, smell, feel).

– Reminding yourself: In this moment, I am safe.

These small practices bring your mind back from the chaos of the online world to the reality of the here and now.

7) Focus on What You Can Control

The truth is, most of what we see while doomscrolling is beyond our personal control. But there are always small, meaningful actions we can take.

If world events feel overwhelming, channel your concern into something concrete:

– Donate to a cause you believe in.

– Volunteer locally.

– Support a friend who’s struggling.

– Engage in community discussions with compassion instead of despair.

Action restores agency—and agency soothes anxiety.

8) Rebuild Your Sense of Safety

Constant exposure to bad news can make the world feel unsafe. Counterbalance that by intentionally noticing safety in your daily life.

This could look like:

– Practicing gratitude for what’s stable or supportive around you.

– Spending time in nature, where your nervous system can recalibrate.

– Engaging in slow, soothing activities like cooking, stretching, or mindful walking.

Remind yourself: safety doesn’t mean the absence of danger, it means the presence of stability, connection, and care.

When Doomscrolling Becomes a Symptom of Something Deeper

Sometimes, chronic doomscrolling isn’t just a habit, it’s a sign of underlying emotional needs or mental health struggles. For instance:

Anxiety disorders can make you crave constant information for reassurance.

Depression can pull you toward content that matches your hopeless mood.

Trauma can make you hypervigilant, scanning for danger as a survival mechanism.

If you notice that your scrolling habits are interfering with daily life, sleep, or emotional stability, it might be worth exploring these patterns in therapy. Working with a therapist can help you uncover the “why” behind the behavior and develop healthier coping strategies.

Finding Balance in an Uncertain World

The world is full of hard things. Staying informed matters but so does staying well. We can hold both truths: awareness and boundaries, empathy and rest, connection and disconnection.

You’re not weak for feeling overwhelmed by the constant stream of bad news. You’re human. Your brain was never meant to process the suffering of the entire planet in real time.

The goal isn’t to shut out the world it’s to engage with it from a grounded, intentional place. To remember that balance is a form of strength, and caring for yourself allows you to care more effectively for others.

So the next time you catch yourself slipping into a doomscrolling spiral, pause. Take a breath. Ask yourself: Is this helping me feel informed or just inflamed? Then gently redirect your attention to something grounding, nourishing, or joyful.

The world may be uncertain, but your inner world doesn’t have to be chaos. You can choose calm, connection, and boundaries even in the age of the infinite scroll.

Feel free to reach out for more support on managing doomscrolling