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Is Staying Informed on Social Media Turning Into Emotional Exhaustion?

Social media offers a limitless world of content, including entertainment, music, business, hobbies, and inspirational stories… Moreover, we all have our feeds organized according to our searches and interests. But when you look a little closer, you may realize that sometimes that feed isn’t always as “personal” as you think it is, and that in between the content you’re interested in, you might come across news that worries you, scares you, or makes you sad. And you might notice that the news you just come across not only impacts you emotionally, but it might also lead you to read more. One news story leads to another, then to a video, and then to a commentary… everything falls one after the other, like dominoes. It might feels like a two-minute glance, but then you look at the clock in the corner of your phone and realize that two hours have passed. You might find yourself unable to resist scrolling through your phone late at night on that topic, even though the news keeps making you feel more upset or anxious. This kind of social media use is known as doomscrolling, the act of compulsively and continuously scrolling through negative, distressing, or alarming news and information. It is more than staying informed; it’s a cycle of consuming bad news, often beyond our original intent.

You might ask, “How is this different from scrolling through social media?”. The difference lies in the intention. Sometimes we open social media to relax, gather information, or see what others are doing. But in doomscrolling, a person specifically searches for negative news. The reason for the search may be rooted in different intentions, such as gathering more information about the topic or having a sense of control over external events. If you consume a lot of negative news, you might start to wonder, “Am I in a rabbit hole?” because the process often works in reverse. With each new piece of information, we might feel more sad or anxious, and this might lead us to scroll more. Doomscrolling is not just being exposed to bad news; it is consciously turning to it, reading it more deeply, researching it, and becoming emotionally exhausted in the process. In this mini sketch, we will explore the concept of doomscrolling, its effects, and how to prevent scrolling through bad news.

What is Doomscrolling? 

Doomscrolling is defined as “to spend excessive time online scrolling through news or other content that makes one feel sad, anxious, angry, etc.” The concept of doomscrolling is relatively new and first gained attention during the pandemic. The term was popularized by a Twitter user (now on X) who used the word “doomscrolling” to describe the habit of endlessly consuming negative news online (Tapert, 2025). During that time, people were constantly exposed to distressing information about COVID-19, which helped researchers to describe a term that has since extended to other global crises and disasters.  It was also officially added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary in September 2023. As we all have constant access to news and social media through our phones or computers, and as catastrophic events are shared on these platforms almost every day, researchers have realized that it affects our mental health individually and as a society.

Doomscrolling differs from regular news consumption because it becomes a persistent and emotionally activating habit. It is also self-perpetuating, leading us to “scroll further” for more news to try and make ourselves feel better, but we end up feeling worse. 

Why do we continue to doomscroll if it does not make us feel better?

Doomscrolling has become so widespread for several reasons:

  • Our Negativity Bias: This occurs due to a psychological bias known as the negativity bias. It arises in situations where we pay more attention to negative stimuli, as well as our evolved psychological need to detect threats (Park, 2015). 
  • The omnipresence of digital media: Smart devices, such as phones, provide 24/7 access to new media through email, text messages, news apps, and social media feeds. 
  • Curated algorithms: The curated algorithms of certain media platforms can increase the amount of news-related media content we receive. In other words, the more we interact with this media, the more similar media we get exposed to (Krenn, 2025).
  • Heightened uncertainty: Events such as global pandemics, civil unrest, war, and political turmoil increase uncertainty. Many people may hope to find comfort in scrolling through media feeds and articles for updates. 
  • Anxiety and control: Recent research (e.g., Türk-Kurtça & Kocatürk, 2025) has found that individuals who experience higher discomfort with uncertainty are more likely to engage in doomscrolling because searching for certainty provides a sense of control.

These reasons for doomscrolling can vary from person to person, and while we might choose to step away from social media, the pull to stay connected often keeps us engaged. As a result, with the subtle support of algorithms that keep feeding us new content, we often find ourselves drawn into this cycle. Doomscrolling has a significant impact on us in many ways, emotionally, physically, and socially.

How Does Doomscrolling Affect Us? 

We don’t intentionally engage in doomscrolling to feel worse about a situation, though that is quite often the outcome. Typically, we engage in doomscrolling to feel better about a stressful event that feels out of our control. Searching for certainty while experiencing a reality with so much uncertainty provides a sense of control, which offers comfort. However, the more media and content we consume, the more our uncertainty and anxiety grow as well. Persistent exposure to bad news media can have detrimental effects on our well-being. These effects are pervasive and impact the individual emotionally, mentally, physically, and socially: 

  • Emotional and Mental Effects of Doomscrolling: Increased stress, anxiety, and depression, overstimulation, dread, and hopelessness. 
  • Physical Effects of Doomscrolling: Sleeping too much or too little, headaches, tension, decreased physical activity, eating too much or too little, and weight gain or weight loss. 
  • Social Effects of Doomscrolling: Social isolation, emotional withdrawal, irritability, and decreased empathy.

Even though doomscrolling has a serious impact on our mental well-being, staying informed and aware of what’s happening in the world is still important. The key is finding a way to do so without harming ourselves in the process.

Taking in News in a Healthy Way

If we recall the COVID-19 pandemic, we would say that we constantly scrolled through the news, seeking to learn something new. It’s essential to stay informed, especially when there are many global events occurring, such as those in global health. However, it’s equally important to take care of ourselves first by setting limits on the amount of media content we consume. Repeated exposure to traumatic events might be harmful to our well-being. Fortunately, there are things you can do to balance your desire to remain informed about current events and your need to protect yourself from burnout and media overload: 

  • Increase personal awareness: Take inventory of when you engage in doomscrolling. Taking a mental tally can be helpful, but journaling about these prompts or keeping a written log can be even more beneficial if you would like to refer back to it. Ask yourself the following questions:
    • What triggers my doomscrolling? 
    • What was my desired outcome? 
    • How do I feel about it afterwards? 
  • Set boundaries: Setting boundaries or limits to scrolling can help ensure you don’t spiral or go down any rabbit holes:
    • Set time limits and use a timer during your online hours. 
    • Schedule times for check-ins or reserve an allotted time for scrolling. 
    • Turn off notifications from news outlets. 
    • Choose a few reliable sources for news and try not to skew the front of those. 
  • Be intentional: Being intentional with how you consume media can make a world of difference in how your media intake affects you:
    • Choose trusted news sources.
    • Curate your algorithm with a mix of different types of media, such as news, creativity, pets, hobbies, and more. 
    • Be mindful of how you connect with the media. 
  • Check in with yourself: Ask yourself, “What’s the real risk of reading this article?” before opening up a potentially triggering headline. 
  • Practice self-care: Meditation exercises, media breaks, and self-compassion can be helpful ways to ground yourself when dealing with potentially triggering stimuli.
  • Get support: Sometimes we need extra help. A therapist is equipped to help you process your distressing emotions and come up with tailored treatment plans and strategies to help you with your doomscrolling.

In conclusion, taking small steps to control our screen time can help us break free from doomscrolling and the “rabbit hole.” By increasing self-awareness, setting limits on social media, engaging in offline activities, and being more mindful of our digital habits, we can gain more control over our online presence.

Takeaways

  • Doomscrolling is a compulsive behavior of consuming distressing news for an extended period of time. Doomscrolling is fueled by negativity bias and our need to detect potential threats.
  • Doomscrolling is something different from regular news consumption.
  • Doom scrolling can lead to things like anxiety, depression, burnout, and so much more. 
  • Chronic doomscrolling can have negative effects on our individual and global well-being. 
  • It’s important to balance your desire to stay informed with your need to protect your well-being. 
  • Setting boundaries, practicing self-care, and mindfully engaging with the media can be helpful. 
  • Sometimes we need extra support, and that’s okay. A therapist can help us process these negative emotions. 

References: 

Krenn, J. (2025, February 25). Doomscrolling: Why can’t we stop? Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/screen-time/202502/doomscrolling-why-cant-we-stop 

Park, C. S. (2015). Applying “Negativity Bias” to Twitter: Negative News on Twitter, Emotions, and Political Learning. Journal of Information Technology & Politics, 12(4), 342–359. https://doi.org/10.1080/19331681.2015.1100225

Tapert, S. (2025, April 9). Doomscrolling again? Expert explains why we’re wired for worry. Today. https://today.ucsd.edu/story/doomscrolling-again-expert-explains-why-were-wired-for-worry 

Türk-Kurtça, T., & Kocatürk, M. (2025). Beyond the scroll: exploring how intolerance of uncertainty and psychological resilience explain the association between trait anxiety and doomscrolling. Personality and Individual Differences, 233, 112919.