The Dangers of Doom Scrolling

Picture this: you pick up your phone “for a second,” and suddenly twenty minutes—or more—have disappeared. You start reading headline after headline, drawn in automatically, and before you know it, your mood has taken a hit.

Your heart races. Your shoulders tense. That jolt? It’s your amygdala—the brain’s built-in alarm—triggering your fight-or-flight response. In milliseconds, your body dumps cortisol, the stress hormone, readying you for danger. The problem is, your body can’t tell the difference between a real threat, like a bear, and a flood of bad news online. Over time, this habit—called doomscrolling—can disrupt your daily life and mental health.

What Is Doomscrolling?

Doomscrolling is the habit of endlessly scrolling through negative news online, even though it makes you feel anxious or sad.

It became a widely discussed term during the pandemic, but the behavior isn’t new. Think of it as rubber-necking on the digital highway: you know it’s stressful, but you can’t stop looking. Humans are wired to notice threats—a survival trait—and social media exploits this with infinite scrolls and unpredictable updates.

Doomscrolling can also be linked to conditions like anxiety, depression, or OCD, which make compulsive news-checking even harder to control. The “doom” part of doomscrolling perfectly captures the anxious, hopeless feeling that comes from reading negative news repeatedly.

Signs you might be stuck in the doom loop:

  • Checking news or social apps first thing in the morning or before bed
  • Feeling restless or anxious after scrolling, yet continuing to refresh
  • Difficulty focusing at work or in conversations because your mind drifts to the next headline

Why Negative Headlines Grab Your Brain

Ever notice you remember bad news more than good? That’s your brain’s negativity bias. Long ago, noticing rustling leaves (possible predator!) mattered more than admiring flowers. Today, apps exploit this with endless scrolling and variable rewards—the same system that makes slot machines addictive.

Every negative headline triggers your stress response, heightening fears and emotions. High daily screen time, especially when filled with bad news, has been linked to elevated cortisol and poor sleep, creating a feedback loop of stress and anxiety.

How Doomscrolling Boosts Anxiety

1. Cortisol on Overdrive
Each doom-laden swipe spikes your stress hormone, keeping your fear circuits active. Over time, this makes anxiety surface faster and last longer—even when you’re offline.

2. Sleep Disruption
Late-night scrolling exposes your eyes to blue light, delaying melatonin release and harming sleep. Poor sleep makes your brain more reactive the next day, fueling yet another doomscrolling session.

3. Catastrophic Thinking
Consuming a steady stream of worst-case scenarios makes your mind rehearse them. Studies show this leads to higher baseline anxiety and weaker emotional control. Translation: the more you scroll, the scarier the world feels.

Are Some Brains More Vulnerable?

1. ADHD & Novelty-Seeking Brains
Social feeds provide rapid-fire stimulation that delivers a dopamine hit. Brains craving novelty find it hard to stop scrolling, especially when headlines are alarming.

2. High Trait Anxiety & Uncertainty
If uncertainty already bothers you, doomscrolling can feel like “research,” but it actually worsens worry. You scroll for relief and end up more stressed.

3. Gen Z & Developing Brains
For teens and young adults, the prefrontal cortex—the brain’s impulse control center—won’t fully mature until the mid-20s. Constant doom-filled scrolling reinforces stress circuits early on.

Micro-Habits to Break the Doom Loop

  1. Set a scroll limit – 5 minutes max per session.
  2. Choose reliable sources – stick to a few trusted news outlets.
  3. Swap scrolling for movement – take a walk, breathe, or spend time in nature.
  4. Track one positive thing daily – counterbalance the negative news with hope.

Breaking the doomscrolling habit won’t happen overnight, but small changes can protect your mental health, improve focus, and restore peace of mind.