Understanding Doomscrolling and How to Prevent It

Lifehacker
Lifehacker
1y ago
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Doomscrolling refers to the act of continuously scrolling through negative news on social media and news websites, which can lead to increased anxiety and stress. The article explains the psychological reasons behind this behavior and offers practical tips to help individuals break the cycle.
Understanding Doomscrolling and How to Prevent It
A What happened
Doomscrolling refers to the act of continuously scrolling through negative news on social media and news websites, which can lead to increased anxiety and stress. The article explains the psychological reasons behind this behavior and offers practical tips to help individuals break the cycle.

Key insights

  • 1

    The Psychological Impact of Doomscrolling: Doomscrolling can lead to heightened levels of anxiety and stress as individuals are exposed to a constant stream of negative news. This behavior can become addictive, as the brain seeks to find more information in an attempt to feel prepared or gain control.

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    Practical Tips to Break the Doomscrolling Cycle: The article provides several strategies to help individuals stop doomscrolling. These include setting time limits on social media use, curating news feeds to include positive content, and engaging in offline activities that promote well-being, such as exercise or hobbies.

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    The Role of Technology in Doomscrolling: Technology, especially social media platforms, is designed to keep users engaged, often by promoting sensational or negative content. Understanding this can help individuals be more mindful of their media consumption and make conscious choices to limit exposure to harmful content.

Topics

Health & Medicine Mental Health