Doomscrolling today is a social media tactic turned destructive. The very movement of the thumb or the index finger over your mobile phone screen moving from one piece of information to another – without fully reading the previous article – has become subconsciously directed.

The feature of ‘scrolling through’ was introduced primarily to improve social media engagement. But this infinite loop of data creates the need to learn more, thus leading to scrolling more.

There is a lack of closure or a finite end concerning doomscrolling, as it does not produce any active cues to stop. A newspaper, a magazine, or even a news channel broadcast, proposes an existing end. Sometimes, without an actual ‘end point’, the brain may struggle to stop, and hours have lapsed before we know it.

Research suggests that the act of scrolling on social media subliminally looking for ‘bad’ news may be connected with the evolutionary instinct of our ancestors to constantly beware of threats around them. It may arise due to the body constantly being on ‘fight or flight’ mode, seeking for more information as a source of protection.

A negative bent of mind, naturally

Doomscrolling is also associated with a phenomenon known as ‘negativity bias’. This means that people have a natural tendency to register negative news more clearly and frequently than the positive ones. Thus the time spent scrolling creates an exposure to excessive negative media, which causes people to lose track of time in the process.

It is a simple habit with complex consequences. The more news we come across, pertaining to world crises, economic deprivation, and global conflict, we keep the brain alert for more information regarding the same. This forces a tendency to dig deeper into situations of unrest – not to learn more but as an attempt to try to gain control over them.

A big price to pay

The effects of doomscrolling may seem negligible, but have drastic implications in the long run. Due to the constant exposure to negative news and ‘doom’, there is a high chance of mental fatigue creeping in. The mind stays active in the subconscious, resulting in sleep deprivation and disturbances.

The practice of doomscrolling tends to keep the body in a state of tension all the time, leading to physical symptoms such as headache, and strain and dryness in the eyes. Research also suggests a higher risk of hypertension due to an increased level of cortisol in the body.

Doomscrollers tend to sacrifice personal wellbeing and health. Every hour spent doomscrolling disrupts the body from engaging in recreational acts that regulate the cortisol hormone, thereby increasing stress and anxiety. Reading a stressful headline right before bedtime naturally meddles with the sleep cycle and its patterns.

Thus in the absence of activities such as physical exercise, an engaging hobby, or even good sleep for the body to reset, the mind takes off on a tangent of overthinking, micromanaging, and catastrophising daily situations.

Choose life off-screen

In order to minimise doomscrolling in the day-to-day, it is important that you gradually train your brain to focus more on the world – outside of the screen. Creating an environment with engaging tasks that require the brain to be actively involved off-screen would certainly reduce the chances of picking up a phone or a gadget to scroll time away.

Establish ‘phone-free’ times during the day; your brain will thank you for following a schedule that does not require phone use. Choose a hobby or an activity that interests you; keep at it for at least a week or a month – or better, longer. Find new ones, if not. Choices make you. Allow your mind to drift away from the phone. Over time, sooner than you can predict, you will find your brain nudging you to pick up the half-finished novel, or the box of paints waiting to be transformed – just as you. – Image credit: freepik – editor@nrifocus.com

– The writer is a counselling psychologist, specialising in mindfulness therapy and researching the quirks of life.