Doomscrolling: The Digital Trap That Feeds Our Anxiety and Steals Our Time
“You don’t realize how heavy the weight of mindless scrolling is until you try to put it down.”
You open Instagram or X (formerly Twitter) for a "quick check."
One reel becomes five.
One tweet becomes a deep dive into threads.
And suddenly, an hour is gone.
What did you consume?
- Climate crisis
- War updates
- Political chaos
- Celebrity drama
- Job rejection memes
- And a cute cat video to numb the anxiety
You close the app — not informed, not inspired — but emotionally drained, anxious, and empty.
❓What Is Doomscrolling?
Doomscrolling is the act of continuously consuming emotionally intense or negative content online — even when it makes you feel worse.
The term was born during the COVID-19 pandemic, but its relevance is only growing.
We’re constantly exposed to:
- Tragedy and trauma
- Conflict and outrage
- Inequality and injustice
- Economic stress, AI fears, mental health crises
And yet, we scroll on. Hoping the next post will somehow fix our mood.
But it doesn’t.
🧠 The Brain Science Behind Doomscrolling
1. Our Brain Craves Closure
Headlines like "AI Will Replace Your Job" make your brain crave answers: How? When? Am I safe?
But instead of relief, you dive deeper into anxiety.
2. Dopamine in Disguise
Your brain loves novelty — even bad news.
It triggers dopamine because it’s emotionally intense.
Our ancestors needed this to detect threats.
But now we scroll through more danger in 5 minutes than they saw in a lifetime.
3. Anxiety Feeds Itself
The more anxious you are, the more you scroll.
The more you scroll, the more anxious you become.
This creates a digital doom loop:
In truth, doomscrolling is digital self-harm.
🎓 Students & Professionals: You Are Most at Risk
Students:
- One doubt search → endless YouTube, Quora, Reddit threads
- Motivation dies seeing others "achieve more"
- Focused hours wasted on "just 5 minutes"
Professionals:
- News burnout ruins productivity
- Impacts sleep, clarity, and decision-making
- Adds layers of subconscious stress before deadlines
Every 10-minute scroll drains not just your battery — but your mental bandwidth.
🔍 Signs You’re Stuck in a Doomscrolling Loop
- You feel mentally tired after phone use
- You open social media without reason
- You scroll before sleeping or right after waking
- You feel "behind in life" after browsing others
- You read negative comments and feel worse
- You know it's harming you… but can't stop
If even 2–3 of these sound familiar, you need a digital detox.
🛠 How to Break Free from Doomscrolling
1. Ask Yourself: “Why am I opening this?”
No purpose = no entry.
2. Use a Doomscrolling Timer
Set a 10-minute limit on news or social apps.
When the timer rings: pause and reflect.
3. Curate Your Feed
Unfollow:
- Toxic meme pages
- Sensationalist news
- Comparison-heavy influencers
Follow:
- Thoughtful educators
- Mental health advocates
- Creators who share peace, not panic
4. Replace the Habit
Instead of morning scroll:
- Journal
- Walk
- Read 1 page
- Plan the day
Instead of night scroll:
- Gratitude reflection
- Audiobooks or calming podcasts
- Breathing meditation
5. Create No-Scroll Zones
No phone:
- During meals
- 1st hour of your day
- Last hour before sleep
Even 2 days a week of this can rebuild your focus.
💡 Final Thought: You Weren’t Meant to Absorb the World’s Pain
“Protect your mind like your phone battery — too many apps will drain you.”
Doomscrolling isn’t making you more informed.
It’s making you more anxious and powerless.
You’re not built to process every global crisis every hour.
But you are responsible for:
- Your peace
- Your purpose
- Your personal progress
So next time your finger hovers over a social app, ask:
“Is this helping me, or is this haunting me?”
Choose presence over panic.
Choose focus over feeds.
Choose your life over likes.
Digital Wellness | Anxiety | Mindful Living | Tech & Society
Written by Suraj Singh
BTech @ NITK | AI & Startup Enthusiast | Writer by reflection