What Is Doomscrolling & How To Avoid It?

Doomscrolling - the act of constantly seeking negative news online - has been linked to a decline in mental and physical wellbeing. So, what is doomscrolling, and how can we avoid the negative online cycle that feeds negative emotions?

I’m guilty

I’ll be the first one to admit it: I’m an avid doomscroller. Yes, the second there is a lull in my day, my work, or my social life, I pick up the phone and head straight to the first morbid news site that enters my mind. A trained journalist, I convince myself that there must be some worldly good in me reading all the catastrophes happening across the world.

But, in reality, I simply have a constant need to fill those quiet, unstimulated gaps with something awful because, of course, the news is invariably awful. It’s all doom and gloom, and, unfortunately, as long as the media keeps it coming I’ll keep scrolling.

I’ll also be the first to admit that I’m gaining absolutely nothing from this morbid fascination with humanity’s dark side. Reading about an injustice, as I would hope, makes me miserable. Honestly, most awful headlines make me feel apathetic which, consequently, fills me with a sense of guilt that disappears as soon as my mind heads down a new whimsical path.

Most of the time I don’t actually read what’s going on behind the headlines because, like most other people, I don’t want to pay to read the news. To avoid paying, I cite the lack of journalistic integrity and the 24-hour news cycle’s mistake-laden prose. 

I’m learning nothing, and I have nothing to contribute from my vice, and so what is to be done?

A digital era downside

Doomscrolling really came to prominence during the pandemic, where you would hear about endlessly scrolling through the cycle of COVID content that flooded the world’s news sites every day for two years. It was as if people were becoming addicted to the knowledge that people over the other side of the world were experiencing the same terrible situation. It was almost as if, despite our restrictions, this cycle of endless misery was bringing us together.

But, you don’t have to be a relationship counsellor to know that anything negative that brings you closer to someone else is toxic. In 2025, doomscrolling has surpassed the pandemic era, but continues to rear its ugly head in different forms, especially as global newsmakers capitalise on negativity to feed our fascination with endless doom. 

This doesn’t make us, the consumers, evil, especially as we routinely find ourselves asking, “why am I doing this?”, but it is now being linked to increased anxiety and depression and this is something that we should be working to avoid in a world so apparently replete with negativity. 

For many, it may seem innocuous, like having a couple of beers at the end of a hard week. However, when coupled with a previous psychological vulnerability, the effects can be incredibly negative for the user.

So, why not try to break your doomscrolling addiction by taking 10 deep breaths before seeing if you still feel like doing it afterwards. Who knows, those 10 deep breaths might encourage you to then do one of the other healthy alternatives:

1.Seek out happy news

Because there is plenty of good in the world and people out there sharing it! For example, the Good News Network exists to share exactly that - good news. Here, you can read about all the awesome things that are happening in the world, like the birth of super rare, super cute piglets, or exciting, lifesaving medical advancements.

2. Change your social media feed

Many people follow newsmakers on social media, and this can also have an impact on their doomscrolling capabilities. Therefore, it may be a good idea to tweak your feed, unfollowing any proponents of the negative news that is bringing you down with every scroll. This way, you will be making your newsfeed a happier place to scroll, and not one that fills you with guilt, shame, sadness, any of those negative emotions.

3. Go outside for a minute

Because the urge to scroll has such a rapid onset it can be a good idea to simply get away from your device for a minute. When you feel the urge to scroll, no matter how strong it is, try to get up and step outside, taking a deep breath and looking up at the sky whilst you do it. Who knows, you may feel an air of relief afterwards, as opposed to dwelling on how nasty the world can be.

4. Do some exercise

Because when was it ever a bad idea to replace something negative with exercise? It could be something as small as doing 10 pushups each time you feel the urge to scroll, or you could get up and go for a run - at least you’re doing something that is healthy and keeps you away from the negative scrolling cycle!

5. Talk to your loved one

Because speaking with a loved one is always helpful for tackling vices, and whether you discuss your urge to scroll or just something happy, it is a great way to break that cycle with a human, compassionate response. 

You can break the cycle

Doomscrolling is one of the digital era’s most unpleasant phenomena. We seek out the world’s injustices as a way of feeling connected, feeling safe through knowledge and through simple fascination. However, when this relatively new problem feels like it is bringing you down, making you glum or guilty, then it is time to take an alternative path.

By following the above techniques, you can break the cycle of doomscrolling that, like me, is probably not doing you any good.