Here and there additionally alluded as Doomsurfing; is a marvel where you continually surf through web-based media and other news destinations to stay aware of the most recent news, even if the news is awful. Doomscrolling is an unhealthy behaviour that entails reading unfavourable news headlines and social media messages in a vicious cycle. With the ongoing pandemic and large partisan splits over political problems, the majority of people are vulnerable to this activity than ever before.
Doomscrolling is harmful to one’s mental health, causing and exacerbating anxiety, tension, despair, and panic. Long before today’s doomscrolling, studies indicated that social media use had a deleterious impact on mental health. It causes worry and despair, increases loneliness, and leads to harmful comparisons with others. Doomscrolling is a dangerous habit to which we are all susceptible. This has impacted human lives in many ways. It has weakened the bond between family members and friends, increased the curiosity to get the news updates, and has distanced people from nature. If you’ve found yourself falling down a rabbit hole of nasty posts on your social media news feeds, take measures to overcome that.
Due to the pandemic, the year 2020 appeared to be the end of the world. No one alive today has ever experienced a pandemic of this magnitude, and the sense of impending doom and Armageddon is palpable. Doomscrolling is also due to the constant updating of facts on the outbreak. You start to have the feeling that the world is ending while attempting to stay up with the news and safety information. The method backfires, leaving you with a sense of unease and foreboding in an attempt to be proactive and aware of the threats surrounding you.
How can we stop it?
If you’ve ever fallen into the doomscrolling habit, you’re probably not surprised to learn that it’s terrible for your mental health. Recognizing a harmful behavior like doomscrolling is the first step towards overcoming it. Set some boundaries and a timer for yourself. Keeping the phone out of the bedroom, scrolling mindfully, setting news intake restrictions, focusing on the positive, taking a break from technology for a while, and spending more time doing things that make you feel good are some real ways to reclaim our mental health.
