The compulsive consumption of distressing news and social media content, commonly termed "doomscrolling," has emerged as a significant behavioral pattern with documented impacts on mental health. This phenomenon, characterized by persistent and excessive reading of negative online information, has been associated with increased psychological distress, anxiety, and impaired daily functioning. The behavior gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, a period of heightened uncertainty and global crisis, and has persisted as a response to ongoing social, political, and environmental unrest. Research indicates that doomscrolling is distinct from general social media use, involving specific characteristics such as habitual persistence, environmental triggers, extended session durations, and engagement with negative, distressing, and timely content. Understanding the psychological drivers and implementing evidence-based strategies for digital boundary-setting are critical for mental health professionals and individuals seeking to mitigate its adverse effects.
Psychological Mechanisms and Clinical Correlates of Doomscrolling
Doomscrolling is defined as the persistent and excessive reading of negative news online. It was popularized during the COVID-19 lockdown period, reflecting a compulsive engagement with distressing pandemic-related information. The activity is driven by a biological imperative; during times of crisis, individuals gather information to reduce uncertainty, create plans, and attempt to exert control over situations. This need for information can become maladaptive when it leads to excessive consumption without providing additional benefits or resolution.
A study published in Computers in Human Behavior established a doomscrolling scale and found the activity was highly associated with online vigilance, problematic internet or social media use, and fear of missing out (FOMO). Further research has explored the relationship between doomscrolling and various psychological traits. A 2022 study in Psychological Trauma examined the negative association between daily social and traditional media consumption and mental health symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Another 2023 study in Applied Research in Quality of Life investigated the association between the Doomscrolling Scale, personality traits, psychological distress, social media use, and wellbeing.
Additional research has linked doomscrolling to existential anxiety and pessimism about human nature. A 2024 study in Computers in Human Behavior Reports provided evidence from Iran and the United States on this association. Furthermore, a 2025 study in Personality and Individual Differences explored how intolerance of uncertainty and psychological resilience explain the association between trait anxiety and doomscrolling. The behavior has also been linked to workplace outcomes; a 2024 study in Computers in Human Behavior suggested that employees who doomscroll at work may become less engaged with their professional tasks.
Behavioral Characteristics and Practical Impacts
Doomscrolling differs from regular social media usage due to the presence of four main characteristics: it is a persistent activity that becomes habitual; it is caused by environmental factors; sessions are multiple hours long, and users often lose track of time; and the content viewed is negative, distressing, and timely. Clinicians have observed that doomscrolling can lead to a state of overstimulation, sometimes described as "popcorn brain," where the brain feels like it is "popping" due to excessive online stimulation. This state can make it difficult to engage with the real world, which moves at a much slower pace.
The shift in digital behavior, particularly during the pandemic, has also been observed in how individuals consume content. Data from analytics companies indicated that working from home pushed people to scroll deeper through article pages on desktop computers, while scrolling through articles on mobile decreased slightly. This change coincided with the start of the pandemic and may suggest a preference for engaging with article pages on a larger screen when given the opportunity. Factors influencing this trend include an overall spike in desktop usage as people spent more time at home, potentially shifting pre-pandemic mobile reading habits to desktop. Differences in how articles are encountered—such as search versus social traffic—also play a role, with search traffic often resulting in deeper engagement.
Therapeutic Interventions and Digital Boundary Strategies
For mental health professionals, addressing doomscrolling involves integrating an understanding of its psychological drivers with practical behavioral strategies. The primary therapeutic goal is to help clients establish digital boundaries that allow the brain and body to recalibrate to a normal state, reducing reliance on compulsive information-seeking. While staying informed is essential, doomscrolling provides no extra benefits and can come at the expense of mental health.
Evidence-based strategies recommended by clinical practitioners focus on creating environmental modifications to reduce compulsive engagement. One key intervention is to keep the phone off the nightstand. While the phone may still be in the bedroom, keeping it out of easy reach prevents the compulsive act of grabbing it upon waking. This simple change is noted as potentially being the "biggest game changer" for reducing stress from doomscrolling. The approach is not about abstinence but about decreasing reliance on digital devices during vulnerable times, such as immediately upon waking.
For hypnotherapy and subconscious reprogramming techniques, the focus would be on addressing the underlying anxiety and intolerance of uncertainty that drive the behavior. While the source material does not provide specific hypnotherapy protocols for doomscrolling, the identified psychological factors—such as fear of the unknown, trait anxiety, and low psychological resilience—are known targets for therapeutic intervention. Clinical frameworks would likely involve techniques to enhance emotional regulation, build resilience, and reprogram the subconscious response to uncertainty, thereby reducing the compulsion to seek excessive negative information.
Conclusion
Doomscrolling is a distinct behavioral pattern with documented negative associations with mental health, including increased anxiety, psychological distress, and existential pessimism. It is driven by a biological need for control and information during crises, which can become maladaptive. The behavior is characterized by habitual persistence, extended duration, and engagement with negative content. Practical interventions, such as creating digital boundaries like keeping phones out of easy reach, are recommended to reduce compulsive engagement. For clinicians, understanding the psychological mechanisms, including intolerance of uncertainty and low resilience, is essential for developing targeted therapeutic strategies. While the source material does not detail specific hypnotherapy protocols, the identified drivers suggest that interventions focusing on anxiety reduction, emotional regulation, and resilience building would be clinically relevant. Individuals experiencing significant distress from doomscrolling are advised to consult with a mental health professional for personalized assessment and intervention.
Sources
- Computers in Human Behavior
- Psychological Trauma
- Applied Research in Quality of Life
- Computers in Human Behavior Reports
- Personality and Individual Differences
- Magellan Federal: Doomscrolling When Staying Up to Date Becomes Harmful
- Harvard Health Publishing: Doomscrolling Dangers
- Tech.Slashdot: Surprise COVID Trend: Doomscrolling Moved to Desktop