We’ve all been there—gripped by an endless scroll, eyes glued to the latest bad news, social media drama, or yet another “expert” take on why everything is falling apart. Doomscrolling gets a bad rap (and for good reason), but what if there was a way to make it… healthier?
It turns out, that with a few smart tweaks, you can turn your scrolling habit into something that nourishes rather than drains you.
Here’s how to doomscroll—without the doom:
The Cleveland Clinic defines doomscrolling as the act of spending excessive time online consuming negative news, often to stay informed about current events. It is stated that this habit can become a mindless habit, locking individuals into a loop of feeling bad and then reading the news to confirm their feelings.
It can also be a function of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a mental health condition that causes repetitive behaviours, whereby the brain continues to loop around on a particular topic, similar to endless scrolling, to reduce anxiety, explains the above clinic.
According to Very Well Mind, people doom scroll driven by the desire to feel in control in a world that feels out of control. “If I know what’s happening, I can be better prepared when things get bad,” as a reason for doomscrolling. The fear is that something terrible might happen that you don’t see coming; doom-scrolling seems to be an effective way to stay prepared.”
All this harms your mental health and, most likely, your overall health as well. This is why you need to be selective about the type of content that you consume because we can’t really run away from the fact that almost everything has been made digital, so the only way to acquire information quickly and at your convenience is through your smartphone. Therefore, it is up to you to gatekeep what comes to your attention.
When you are feeling overwhelmed and anxious, instead of looking for content that will only worsen your feelings, rather go through news that will bring you relief and joy. Imagine overwhelming yourself with good news and positive content.
Also see: How social media helps destigmatise mental health and therapy
