Is Doomscrolling Making Anxiety Worse And How To Break The Habit

In an age of constant connectivity, it’s common to reach for your phone during idle moments—only to find yourself hours later, deep in a spiral of bad news, crisis updates, and worst-case scenarios. This behavior, known as “doomscrolling,” isn’t just a harmless habit. It’s a growing concern with measurable effects on mental well-being. As global events continue to unfold at rapid speed, the line between staying informed and compulsively consuming distressing content has blurred. The result? Heightened anxiety, sleep disruption, and emotional fatigue. Understanding how doomscrolling affects your mind—and learning how to interrupt the pattern—is essential for reclaiming control over your attention and emotional state.

The Psychology Behind Doomscrolling

Doomscrolling refers to the act of continuously scrolling through negative news or social media content, often late at night or during downtime, despite feeling emotionally drained by it. While it may start as curiosity or a desire to stay updated, it quickly becomes a compulsive loop driven by psychological mechanisms like negativity bias and intermittent reinforcement.

Humans are evolutionarily wired to pay more attention to threats than positive stimuli—a survival mechanism known as negativity bias. In the digital world, this translates into a tendency to dwell on alarming headlines, disaster reports, or polarizing debates. Platforms exploit this instinct by algorithmically prioritizing emotionally charged content, ensuring that once you click on one disturbing post, several more appear immediately after.

Additionally, doomscrolling operates similarly to other compulsive behaviors. Each new update offers a small burst of dopamine—the brain's reward chemical—even if the information is distressing. This creates a feedback loop: the more you consume, the more your brain seeks the next “hit” of information, regardless of its emotional cost.

“Doomscrolling hijacks our natural vigilance system. We tell ourselves we’re preparing for danger, but in reality, we’re flooding our nervous system with stress signals that don’t lead to meaningful action.” — Dr. Lena Torres, Clinical Psychologist and Anxiety Specialist

How Doomscrolling Fuels Anxiety

Anxiety thrives on uncertainty and perceived threat. When you spend extended periods immersed in worst-case narratives—pandemics, economic collapse, climate disasters, political unrest—your brain begins to internalize these as immediate dangers, even when they pose little direct risk to you.

Chronic exposure to negative content can trigger physiological responses similar to real-world threats: increased heart rate, muscle tension, shallow breathing, and elevated cortisol levels. Over time, this sustained activation of the stress response contributes to generalized anxiety disorder, insomnia, and emotional numbness.

A 2023 study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that individuals who spent more than two hours daily on news-heavy social media platforms reported significantly higher anxiety scores than those who limited exposure. Notably, the correlation was strongest among users who engaged passively—scrolling without commenting or sharing—suggesting that mere consumption, not interaction, drives the effect.

Tip: Set a timer for five minutes before opening news apps. When the timer ends, ask yourself: “Do I need this information right now, or am I seeking reassurance?”

Recognizing the Signs of Problematic Doomscrolling

Not all news consumption is harmful. Staying informed is important. However, when checking the news becomes automatic, distressing, or interferes with daily functioning, it crosses into problematic territory. Watch for these warning signs:

• Feeling anxious, hopeless, or physically tense after scrolling
• Checking news or social media first thing in the morning or last thing at night
• Losing track of time while browsing negative content
• Experiencing disrupted sleep due to late-night scrolling
• Withdrawing from real-life interactions to stay online
• Finding it difficult to focus on work or conversations because your mind is occupied with recent headlines

If multiple items on this list resonate with you, it’s likely that doomscrolling is contributing to heightened anxiety. The good news is that habits shaped by digital environments can be reshaped—with awareness and deliberate practice.

Practical Strategies to Break the Doomscrolling Cycle

Breaking free from doomscrolling doesn’t require complete digital detox. Instead, it calls for mindful engagement, structural changes, and behavioral substitution. Below is a step-by-step guide to help you regain control.

Step 1: Audit Your Digital Consumption

Spend three days tracking when, where, and why you check news or social media. Use a notebook or note-taking app to log each session. Note your emotional state before and after. Patterns will emerge—such as reaching for your phone when bored, lonely, or stressed—which reveal triggers for doomscrolling.

Step 2: Designate News Intake Windows

Replace unstructured browsing with scheduled, time-limited news sessions. Choose one or two 15-minute blocks per day—ideally mid-morning and early afternoon—to review trusted sources. Outside these windows, avoid news-related apps and mute push notifications.

Step 3: Curate Your Feed

Unfollow or mute accounts that consistently share fear-based or sensational content. Follow science communicators, mental health advocates, or solution-focused journalists instead. On platforms like Twitter (X) or Facebook, use keyword filters to block phrases like “crisis,” “disaster,” or “end of days.”

Step 4: Replace the Habit with a Healthier Ritual

When the urge to scroll strikes, redirect your attention. Keep a list of alternative activities nearby: stretching, brewing tea, journaling, calling a friend, or reading fiction. The key is to insert a pause between impulse and action.

Step 5: Create Tech-Free Zones

Designate certain areas—like the bedroom or dining table—as screen-free spaces. Charge your phone outside the bedroom and use a traditional alarm clock. This reduces nighttime temptation and supports better sleep hygiene.

Tip: Turn off all non-essential notifications. If an alert feels urgent, ask whether you’d want to be interrupted during dinner or a meeting.

Checklist: Building a Healthier Information Diet

Use this checklist weekly to assess and improve your digital well-being:

1. ✅ Limited news intake to one or two scheduled times per day
2. ✅ Unfollowed or muted at least three sources that cause anxiety
3. ✅ Replaced at least one doomscrolling session with a calming activity
4. ✅ Kept phone out of the bedroom overnight
5. ✅ Used screen time tracker to stay within personal limits
6. ✅ Spent at least 10 minutes outdoors or engaging in face-to-face conversation
7. ✅ Reflected on mood changes linked to media use

Real-Life Example: How Sarah Regained Control

Sarah, a 34-year-old project manager from Portland, noticed her anxiety spiking every evening after work. She would lie on the couch, scrolling through news sites and social media, absorbing updates about global conflicts, inflation, and health scares. “I told myself I was staying informed,” she said. “But I was really just numbing out with fear.”

After weeks of poor sleep and irritability, Sarah consulted a therapist who introduced her to the concept of intentional media consumption. She began setting a 7:30 PM cutoff for news apps, replaced her evening scroll with a 20-minute walk, and unsubscribed from eight high-anxiety feeds. Within three weeks, her sleep improved, and she reported feeling “less on edge” during the day.

“I still read the news,” Sarah shared, “but now I do it with purpose—not panic.”

Do’s and Don’ts of Managing News Consumption

Do	Don’t
Get news from reputable, balanced sources	Binge-read headlines across multiple platforms
Set time limits using built-in screen time tools	Scroll endlessly before bed
Engage in discussions that lead to action or solutions	Participate in hostile comment threads
Take breaks when content feels overwhelming	Use news as a distraction from emotions
Discuss concerns with a trusted friend or therapist	Assume every negative headline reflects personal risk

Frequently Asked Questions

Can doomscrolling lead to long-term mental health issues?

Yes. Chronic exposure to distressing content without emotional regulation can contribute to persistent anxiety, depression, and hypervigilance. Over time, the brain may become conditioned to expect threat, making it harder to relax or feel safe—even in neutral environments.

Is it possible to stay informed without doomscrolling?

Absolutely. Being informed means seeking reliable information intentionally and critically, not passively absorbing everything presented online. Choose a few credible outlets, set boundaries around consumption, and prioritize depth over volume. Weekly recaps or newsletters can provide context without the emotional toll of real-time updates.

What if my job requires me to monitor news constantly?

For professionals in journalism, emergency services, or policy, continuous monitoring may be necessary. In such cases, implement strict compartmentalization: separate work-related consumption from personal time, practice mindfulness techniques, and schedule regular digital detox periods to reset your nervous system.

Conclusion: Reclaim Your Attention, Reclaim Your Calm

Doomscrolling isn’t a personal failing—it’s a predictable outcome of an attention economy designed to keep you engaged at any cost. But awareness is the first step toward change. By recognizing the triggers, understanding the psychological underpinnings, and applying structured strategies, you can break the cycle of compulsive negativity.

Your mental health depends not just on what you consume, but how, when, and why. Choosing intentionality over autopilot doesn’t mean disengaging from the world; it means engaging with it in a way that empowers rather than exhausts you. Start small: one mindful decision today can reshape your relationship with information tomorrow.

💬 Ready to take back control? Share your first step in the comments—whether it’s deleting an app, setting a screen curfew, or simply noticing your triggers. You’re not alone in this.