It’s been a long, eventful day, and the only thing on the average adolescent’s mind is relaxation. In years past, they might have reached for a good book or hopped into a hot shower, but now, the first inclination is to launch a media app of choice, and scroll. It may be accepted and joked about, but it doesn’t deter from the brutal truth: we are addicted to doomscrolling.

“Doomscrolling” is a recently popularized term, characterizing the behavior of excessively engaging with pessimistic or depressing content, especially short-form videos. Although most prevalent in teenagers and young-adults, the issue can affect anyone, regardless of age. A noticeable pattern of this behavior arose during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the cycle has only perpetuated since. Now more than ever, experts are citing an increase in the average time spent on social media and casual screen use, skyrocketing to an average of over seven hours a day, amplified by the development of personalized algorithms. Moreover, they assert that videos and news of the modern age catastrophize content for clicks and attention. At first, this tactic seems futile, and the encapsulating effect of negative information appears counterintuitive: Why would anyone continuously subject themselves to engaging with harmful content? In reality, the practice is rooted in innate human behavior and psychology.

First, it is necessary to address why this phenomenon emerged. It is widely recognized that humans are creatures that want to feel control over their circumstances. When routines are disrupted, people grow restless and have to regain some semblance of control through whatever means necessary. In the dawn of the internet, this manifests in the form of doomscrolling. It provides a false sense of security and reassurance, convincing the mind that knowledge of negative events correlates to control over said events. In short, doomscrolling functions as the mind’s coping mechanism, and the scrolling doesn’t stop there. The behavior continues, and the individual begins searching for more and more negative content to maintain that sense of control. Experts link these actions to the dual theory of habituation and sensitization , which states that as humans are subjected to more of the same stimuli, they slowly become used to or habituated to it. This leads to the individual’s desensitization and reinforces a need to be constantly stimulated, mimicking patterns of addiction to substances and withdrawal symptoms. With doomscrolling, all it takes is one flick of the finger and that desire is, at least temporarily, fulfilled.

This loop of fixation isn’t just entrancing, it debilitates individuals with a plethora of negative effects. A study demonstrated that doomscrolling is linked to a decrease in attention span and increased impulsivity, denoted by a low mindfulness score. These findings are also supported by 47.5% of adolescents , who report losing track of screentime on a frequent basis. Additionally, doomscrolling is correlated with experiencing negative emotions and can elicit and intensify mental health disorders. In particular, the habit of scrolling has strong positive connections with depression and anxiety. Experts state that those who constantly engage in doomscrolling can even develop indications of secondary traumatic stress . This condition is characterized by PTSD-like symptoms, and occurs after experiencing trauma second-hand, after continuously seeing others put through harmful situations. These numerous effects culminate in a cognitive and emotional downward spiral.

However, this dependence can be mitigated. The addictive piece of doomscrolling often arises from unconscious habits, so it is recommended to try to reverse these habits by retraining one’s attention span. This can be done through interacting with more positive content or choosing to engage with long-form content with a less stimulating format, such as movies or TV series. It is also recommended to minimize time on social media, and instead embrace analog hobbies that reduce the brain’s overstimulation. Ultimately, research highlights that no matter which measure is chosen, recognizing the addiction and taking action is the first step to breaking the cycle.