Doom Scrolling and Technological Anxieties.

Publication Date: 10/02/2025 - Author: Nadia Notiyhella Nathoo

Publication Number: 32025 - Type: Academic Journalism

Editor[s]: James Mullins -Pressnell; Laura Linberga

Introduction to Doom Scrolling

There are different psychological and physical changes that have occurred due to technological advancements. This has been illustrated with the use of  advanced informative social media platforms coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic have been identified as some of the main precursors of contemporary doom scrolling (Gume,2024). Doom scrolling refers to the habit of continually consuming negative news, this is typically associated with heightened anxiety, which negatively impacts an individual's well-being (Turk-Kurtca & Kocaturk, 2025). It (Doom scrolling) is a vicious process in which an individual seeks negative information that conforms to their pre-existing beliefs (Pas, 2023), which is compulsive and uncontrollable, even when it provokes despair and unhappiness (Kartol, Uztemur et al, 2023).

To this end, doom scrolling is a relatively new notion that has arisen due to the consumption of excessive unpleasant negative news, and is implicated with a myriad of negative consequences such as reduced psychological resilience, decreased mental well-being and emotional disruptions due to continued social media use (Gunn, 2024). This is because an overflow of fear-inducing information triggers psychological stress responses, such as the fight or flight mechanisms that are in and vary per individual. These stress responses are expressed differently from person to person, as others may experience insomnia due to blue light exposure, this constitutes a reduction in melatonin production or vicarious trauma due to repeated exposure to others trauma and intrusive thoughts (George, George et al, 2024). Other studies suggest doom scrolling is a coping behavior amongst individuals, particularly young adults, with high levels of generalized anxiety disorder (Hu, 2023).

Doom Scrolling as a Coping Mechanism in Young Adults

It is crucial to comprehend the interactions between social media consumption and emotional wellbeing in young adulthood. This is due to the significant life transitions experienced during adolescence which are influenced by doom scrolling when experienced in different social contexts and individual stages of biological and psychological maturation(Hu, 2023). For instance, an individual with elevated levels of depression is susceptible to a cycle of doom scrolling (Pas, 2023) and an anxious individual's interaction with social media would determine how prone they are to developing doom scrolling habits (Hu, 2023) in relation to their immediate and global environment. Therefore understanding these interactions will help alleviate any negative strains that are caused on physical health, mental health and neurological health (Rodrigues, 2022). Moreover, this could help to improve awareness in young adults permitting them to adopt digital hygiene mechanisms that contribute to improved mental well-being, affective regulation and minimized experiences of anxiety, fear, apprehensive hopelessness and uncertainty (Rodrigues, 2022).

A study by Shabang & Hwang et al (2024) contributes to this notion, as results indicate doom scrolling contributes to the development of an increased sense of existentialism, existential anxiety and pessimism associated with human nature. This in turn leads to the development of psychological disorders and dysfunctional behaviours due to the constant intake of excessive negative news, bias and framing promoted by engaging in this habit (Shabahang, Hwang et al, 2024). Existential anxiety is provoked,  due to the insecurity experienced when exposed to disasters or mass traumatic events leading to evoking questions of the nature of humanity, life and death which contributes to the development of negatively construed perceptions towards justice and humankind (Shabahang, Hwang et al, 2024) and negative news acts as a stressor that triggers affective reactions (Shabahang & Aruguete et al,2022).

Mindfulness practices in daily life can, and have, a mediating role in social media use and existential anxiety (Taskin, Kurtulus et al, 2024). The pool of negative news is exacerbated by influences of algorithms, click baits and Predictive AI which create a sense of addiction amongst users with the use of emotional triggers that play on people’s vulnerabilities (George, George et al, 2024). Meditation, however, gives individuals a chance to consciously moderate and regulate their content preferences and consumption as an attempt to reverse the effects of an eroding mental health due to the exposure to shear mass of negative news. In the short term this would also reduce the chances of individuals experiencing “stress hangovers” which are described as periods of impaired functioning leading to burnout and insomnia (George et al,2024).

Climate Change Doom scrolling and Its Psychological Effects

Moreover, Studies indicate a direct correlation between climate change related doom scrolling and heightened anxiety (Hartlieb, 2024), which further ties into the need to consciously moderate how we consume media. It is suggested having high social support in times of increased negative climate change related news reduces the likelihood of eco-anxiety, depression and PTSD symptoms developing (Hartlieb, 2024). This is because social cohesion is an aspect of human wellbeing (Fan , Jiang & Mostafavi, 2020) and it also aids in communal disaster recovery due to variables such as social participation, social capital and a sense of community (Sobhaninia, 2024).

Doom scrolling has also been shown to significantly negatively impact employee performance due to increased distractions, and the overall negative impact negative news has on perceived performance (Chand & Mishra, 2024).This reduces work engagement amongst employees (Hughes & Keith et al, 2024) This is due to the formation of hopeless and pessimistic perceptions based on the future (Kartol, Uztemur et al, 2023) which has societal impacts on productivity and health care costs due to increased stress and anxiety and their effects such as burnout or alcohol consumption on individual well being (Cheug,2024).

Balancing Media Consumption for Physical and mental Well-Being

Other individual moderators such as vigilance and uncertainty also contribute to doom scrolling (Pas, 2023), as negative news and the perceived sense of no control can contribute to depression, complicated grief, substance abuse, helplessness and stress (Pikhala,2020) as they experience threatening physical and psychological states of existence. Excessive doom scrolling has also led to physical conditions such as arthritis, brain tumors and carpal tunnel syndrome (Rodrigues, 2022). A study by Cheug (2024) discovered during the COVID-19 pandemic individuals without standardised workplaces had experiences of musculoskeletal discomfort when working from home.

In summary, doom scrolling is a manageable habit and its effects can be avoided when individuals set timers to scroll, meditate, exercise, take up hobbies, spend time with family and friends and take direct action to change news feeds into positive ones (Rodrigues, 2022). Mental wellbeing can further be managed by mitigating excessive consumption of negative valenced media and being aware of balancing the negative information consumed with positive information (Kartol, Uztemur et al, 2023). It is also suggested when alerting the public, journalists must formulate a positive narrative avoiding a too-late-to-help narrative and strive to balance the message of intensity and optimism in communications (Gow,2022).

Author: Nadia Notiyhella Nathoo   Editors: James Mullins-Pressnell / Laura Linberga