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Doomscrolling: How to break the vicious cycle

Liv Thomson
Image shows a person scrolling their instagram feed

Liv Thomson

Doomscrolling: the act of trawling through seemingly endless amounts of content on social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram reels, and YouTube shorts.

The “doom” element manifests when you are unable to tear yourself away, even when the content you are consuming isn’t inherently negative. It’s a mindless habit that often results in hours of scrolling online; falling down rabbit holes where you might start with a home organisation video, and end up watching a day in the life of a stranger’s dog.

The Golden Age of Social Media

Of course, social media is important. It’s become a massive part of our daily lives. Not only does it offer connectivity and knowledge about anything and everything, but it also offers an escape from reality. This is arguably even more important now in a post-pandemic world.

However, social media platforms also have their drawbacks. Not only is the internet awash with trolls, scams, and inaccurate reporting, but is also a breeding ground for hate speech and even abuse. All of which we are likely to encounter when doomscrolling.

The Impact of COVID-19

If social media was an important part of society before the pandemic, it became even more so during. The unprecedented times during lockdown saw a heightened need for news as a way for people to feel they had some semblance of control over what was going on.

“negative content consumed via doomscrolling did nothing to alleviate these fears”

However, a lot of negative – as well as untrue – information was seen circulating throughout the pandemic when the need to know what was happening was highly prevalent across the world.

There were conspiracy theories about the origin of the virus itself, the efficacy of masks and face coverings, as well as ill-researched accusations about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine. In a world where health anxieties were already being exacerbated, negative content consumed via doomscrolling did nothing to alleviate these fears. A study published in 2021 even suggested that doomscrolling during the COVID-19 lockdowns was linked to a rise in mental and physical health struggles.

Why do we Doomscroll?

“why are we so drawn to negative content? Are we doing this because we ourselves are nasty?”

As humans, we are fundamentally drawn to the “bad.” Although the vast majority of content may seem harmless – like watching reality television and laughing at the misfortune of celebrities, or obsessing over your favourite singer with other online fans – but it can quickly turn dark, progressing into us actively seeking out potentially harmful content, such as nasty comment threads.

But why are we so drawn to negative content? Are we doing this because we ourselves are nasty? Or because of the basic human principle of fascination, like when we see a car crash on the motorway and slow down to see it?

There is something to be said for the instant gratification of being in the know – to be able to join in the conversation online, to seem knowledgeable and well-informed. There is power in knowledge, even if that knowledge is harmful.

The draw to negative content, often referred to as the negativity bias, is arguably rooted in our need for knowledge of any form. A 2008 study found that humans “attend to, learn from, and use negative information far more than positive information,” suggesting our brains are wired to hunt for the bad rather than the good.

Breaking the Habit

So, how can we break the habit of doomscrolling?

Avoid reaching for your phone first thing in the morning

By consuming negative news from the second you wake up, you are inevitably setting yourself up to scroll all day. This can, in turn, impact your mood for the rest of the day.

So, start as you mean to go on. Try to begin your day with something positive. The same goes for nighttime, too. Doomscrolling can negatively affect your quality of sleep, so for half an hour before you go to sleep try reading a book instead of flicking through a screen.

Uninstall certain apps from your phone

Often, simply receiving a notification is enough to get us back onto our phones and causally back to doomscrolling. By uninstalling certain apps, you can ensure temptation is at a minimum.

Similarly, you could customise your notifications to only receive them from apps you’re actually interested in. This can reduce your exposure to accounts that post negative content, as well as limit the onslaught of notifications pinging on your phone.

Set screen time limits, not targets

A feature of most phones nowadays is a notification telling us how much screen time we’ve racked up each week. Why not set yourself a limit? That way, you can hold yourself accountable when that final summary arrives.

“free up time for the things that contribute to living a happy, balanced life”

Doomscrolling can be the result of procrastination over boring tasks, such as cleaning. It can also distract us from our hobbies, as well as exercise and mindfulness routines. By setting a limit on your screen time, you can free up time for the things that contribute to living a happy, balanced life.

For every negative news story, look for a positive one!

This is a simple but effective way to stay informed and balance out the content that you’re consuming. It’s not all bad out there!

Everything in Moderation

Doomscrolling for hours online is by no means good for us. Getting caught in a vicious cycle of endless scrolling can have a negative impact on our health. It’s important, therefore, to have a balance. To remember the world beyond our phone screens and what it has to offer. To remember that actually, not everything is all doom and gloom.

So stay connected, stay informed, but also, stay aware – of misinformation, of negativity, and of yourself and your boundaries.

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Featured image courtesy of Plann on Unsplash. No changes were made to this image. Image license found here.

Just another argumentative antithetical dream girl trying her best to make her sentences pretty. She has an undergraduate degree in psychology and is currently pursuing a Master's in broadcast journalism.

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