There are nearly 5 billion social media users around the world! Yes, you read that correctly. Social media has become one of the most influential methods of communication for people of all generations.

While there are many benefits to social media, inevitable downsides have also emerged. One such negative is doomscrolling.

What Is Doomscrolling?

Have you found yourself consistently reading negative articles or posts on social networks? This is called doomscrolling.

Doomscrolling is when one decides to read depressing content and does not even notice that they continue to read such content.

The term doomscrolling has been around for a while but has increased in popularity due to traumatic events like the COVID-19 pandemic.

The psychological effects of doomscrolling

Doomscrolling can cause people to compare themselves to others more than ever. This creates unobtainable, unfair and intimidating social standards.

In turn, social media users of all ages and backgrounds have begun to feel undeniable pressure. Younger people especially pre-teens, teenagers, and individuals in their 20s and 30s can become more depressed and lonely due to doomscrolling.

Why does doomscrolling occur?

Research has suggested that people doomscroll as a means of control. There is so much in this world that one cannot control, but when and why they acquire knowledge is one such thing that is controllable.

People believe the more educated they are, the better prepared they will be for dire situations. What they do not recognize is that doomscrolling negatively affects their mental state. Consistent depressing news will of course result in negative emotions and feelings.

Eliminating your doomscrolling will improve your overall mental wellbeing. The good news is there are steps you can take to ween yourself off this unhealthy habit.

How to stop doomscrolling?

One of the first steps you can take to improve your doom surfing is to carefully select your sources. Chose a source you trust and a source that has a positive reputation.

The sources you use must be factual, but they also should not have a negative bias. Often, major sources write articles with a negative lens as a scare factor.

When searching the web, limit your screen time. Allow yourself a specific amount of time to read the content you desire and then force yourself to move on to a different activity. This will take discipline, but it’s worth your while.

When reviewing content on the web, place effort into selecting more upbeat content. You control what you view. Reading more positive articles or watching uplifting content can make a world of difference.

Create more responsible content

Since doomscrolling can have such an effect on your mental state, it is imperative that you are proactive and take steps to limit or eliminate this behavior.

Companies can create engaging and positive content with Sprout Social. When businesses create meaningful content with good intentions, people can be exposed to healthier content.

Learn about how you can create more meaningful social media content with Sprout Social.