SINGAPORE: In a world where triumphs and tragedies are just a click away, the constant influx of heartbreaking stories has led to a collective strain on the mental and emotional well-being of many people, one which is called “doomscrolling.” But what is doomscrolling and how can someone cope with it?
Psychotherapist and coach Tess Brigham, MFT, defined “doomscrolling” as “mindlessly scrolling through negative news articles, social media posts, or other content-sharing platforms,” as mentioned on Verywell Mind.
TechTarget also mentioned that continuously scrolling through bad news can affect not only the mental well-being of a person but also impact a person’s physical well-being. By doomscrolling, a person can have increased levels of anxiety, depression, stress, fear, isolation, anger, catastrophic thinking, hopelessness, and sleeping problems. Some people even have panic attacks while some have feelings similar to post-traumatic stress.
To combat “doomscrolling” here are some ways to cope according to mental health experts, as reported by Yahoo News.
How to cope with Doomscrolling
Dr Annabelle Chow, a principal clinical psychologist at Annabelle Psychology, offers a detailed understanding of the detrimental impact of doomscrolling on people’s lives. According to her, the constant preoccupation with distressing news can severely impair someone’s daily life.
“You become so preoccupied by it that you cannot function at all. You go to work, you’re thinking about it. Your hands are typing something else, but your mind is just thinking about it all the time, affecting your ability to go out and meet your friends. Or if you meet friends, that’s all you can talk about. It’s affecting your appetite and your sleep” explains Dr Chow.
She emphasises the importance of seeking professional help when doomscrolling disrupts daily life. Dr Chow suggests focusing and putting your energy on things that are within your control to improve your mental well-being.
Juliana Pang, an addictions therapist from Promises Healthcare, talked about the role of constant news updates on social media in fueling doomscrolling behaviour. She points out that the reward system, coupled with bite-sized information, creates a false sense of security. Ms Pang also highlights the influence of the fear of missing out (FOMO) in keeping individuals engaged in doomscrolling, triggering constant comparisons about what a person knows of the situation.
Discussing the impact on different age groups, Ms Pang notes that developing brains, especially in children and young adults, are more susceptible to repetitive patterns of behaviour reinforced by dopamine. Moreover, individuals with anxiety, depressive symptoms, or a predisposition to such conditions are more likely to feel the effects of negative news constantly bombarding them.
Ms Pang offers practical steps to regain control over media consumption, including:
- removing time-consuming apps
- turning off notifications
- setting time limits
- engaging in activities that don’t involve a phone
She underscores the importance of intentional social media use, focusing on positive and uplifting content.
Claire Leong, a counsellor at Sofia Wellness Clinic, stresses the significance of being mindful of the time spent consuming online content. According to her, there is no specific universal limit for the amount of time a person can spend on such content before experiencing negative effects, as it varies from person to person. Ms Leong recommends unfollowing accounts that do not add value or content that “make you feel bad about yourself or the world around you.”
Other things that can help manage or prevent doomscrolling according to TechTarget include putting your phone two hours away from your sleeping time, staying away from reading social media comments that will trigger negative emotions, and trying out cognitive behavioural therapy through a therapist. /TISG