What Is Doomscrolling? Why We Do It & How It Affects Us

We’ve all done it.
You open Instagram.
A friend shares a post about a tragedy.
You click to read more.
One article turns into five, then 10 videos.
You check Facebook. You search for answers.
Suddenly, it’s been over an hour. Your eyes burn, and you feel worse than when you started.

But somehow, you still can’t stop. That’s doomscrolling.

What is doomscrolling exactly, according to psychology? Is there hope for those of us constantly glued to the infinite scroll? Let’s investigate!

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What Is Doomscrolling?

Doomscrolling is the habit of consuming negative news online repeatedly until it starts to significantly impact our emotional wellbeing. Doomscrolling convinces us that if we gather more information, we might feel better. We believe that by reading one more article or watching one more clip, we will have the closure we’re searching for. But instead, it often leaves us feeling powerless, overwhelmed, and emotionally flooded.

The term doomscrolling itself became popular during big global events like the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing, political unrest, and natural disasters (Türk-Kurtça & Kocatürk, 2025). About 1 in 6 people (16.5%) show signs of problematic news consumption severe enough to impact their stress, anxiety, and overall health (McLaughlin, 2023).

During those early days of the pandemic lockdown, digital news use jumped by about 35%, and social media use went up by nearly 47% (Güme, 2024). It makes sense; we were stuck at home, trying to make sense of everything, and our phones became our lifeline to the world.

Research supports this hypothesis as well. Sharma and colleagues (2022) found that doomscrolling is often tied to passive social media use, anxiety, poor self-control, and even certain personality traits.

Researchers also found it was more common in men, younger adults, and people who were politically engaged. But doomscrolling doesn’t discriminate. It affects people across all backgrounds, regardless of age, gender, class, or culture (Sekhon, 2024).

So why do we get stuck in it? Let’s take a look at the psychology behind doomscrolling, especially how things like negativity bias and uncertainty mess with our brains.

The Psychology Behind Doomscrolling

Why do we keep doomscrolling, even when we know it’s stressing us out or making us feel worse? The truth is that our brains are wired for it. A mix of psychological habits and survival instincts makes it difficult to look away, especially when we’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or out of control.

During times of crisis, whether it’s a pandemic, a natural disaster, or political unrest, our natural drive to seek information grows stronger. We want to make sense of what’s happening to feel prepared or less helpless (Güme, 2024; Kaye & Johnson, 2024; Sekhon, 2024; Türk-Kurtça & Kocatürk, 2025).

But instead of making us feel better, all that doomscrolling often leaves us more anxious and emotionally depleted.

The role of negativity and uncertainty

One major reason doomscrolling pulls us in is something called negativity bias. Negativity bias is our brain’s tendency to pay more attention to bad news than good (Sekhon, 2024).

News outlets and social media platforms often capitalize on this negativity bias by pushing out dramatic, alarming headlines that are hard to ignore (Güme, 2024). Once we’re exposed to distressing content, we tend to keep searching for more, wanting to understand the full picture or find something that feels hopeful.

However, that rarely happens. Instead, this cycle of negative exposure can lead to heightened anxiety, sadness, and even what some researchers call “scary world syndrome,” or a distorted sense that the world is more dangerous than it really is (Türk-Kurtça & Kocatürk, 2025).

Its Impact on Mental Health

Doomscrolling and anxiety often go hand in hand.

Many people scroll to feel more in control, but it usually backfires; endless negative news only increases anxiety and keeps you stuck in a worry cycle (Kaya & Griffiths, 2024; Türk-Kurtça & Kocatürk, 2025).

For those sensitive to uncertainty, doomscrolling can feel difficult to resist but rarely brings relief. At night, it’s especially harmful. Reading upsetting news before bed disrupts sleep, raises next-day anxiety, and causes physical stress symptoms like restlessness (Sharma et al., 2022; Sekhon, 2024).

Beyond anxiety and sleep issues, doomscrolling also affects mood and focus. It’s linked to sadness, irritability, hopelessness, and depression (Price et al., 2022; Satici et al., 2022; Shabahang et al., 2024).

While it might offer a brief sense of control, it often leaves you feeling helpless and overwhelmed, especially when reading about things you can’t change. It can also impact concentration, leaving you mentally foggy or emotionally drained, and may trigger rumination that lingers long after scrolling ends (Hughes et al., 2024).

A Take-Home Message

If you find yourself caught in the cycle of doomscrolling, know that you’re not alone. Many people struggle with the pull of negative news. Our brains are wired to focus on potential threats, so it makes sense that breaking free feels difficult.

The good news is, it is possible to break out of that spiral. In the next post, we’ll explore practical strategies to help you stop doomscrolling, regain balance and make space for healthier, more hopeful ways of engaging with the world.

We hope you benefited from reading this article. Don’t forget to download our five positive psychology tools for free.