A few weeks ago, I found myself in a rut. I was stressed, and my faith in humanity was at rock bottom. And then I discovered true crime videos on YouTube. Neatly packaged videos that told one horrifying story after another. Not content, I would seek out more of these stories, often before sleeping. Weirdly, I was convinced it was just the downside of being informed.

At first, it was a few articles here and there, and then I realised I was spending hours reading about gruesome murders, and I quit cold turkey. I only spend a few minutes reading the news, and then I move on to something else. The irony is that I genuinely did not realise I was doomscrolling until it became quite overwhelming. It had me questioning my entire existence – and it turns out I am not the only one.

According to Science Daily, doomscrolling is:

where people spend a lot of time scrolling through traumatic news on social media, such as shootings, terrorism, and conspiracies, often to the point where it becomes addictive.

A study carried out by researchers at Flinders University found that doomscrolling leaves people ‘feeling stress, anxiety, despair, and questioning the meaning of life’.

They found viewing these negative stories leads to ‘vicarious trauma’ – the reader feels traumatised, almost like it’s happened to them, and this then affects them negatively. Exposure to information, and in some cases videos and images, can cause symptoms that mimic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This includes anxiety, excessive worry and sadness.

It can also affect how we see other people and, in turn, disrupt our daily life. To use myself as an example, when I was spending hours doomscrolling, I was utterly fed up with the people around me and probably not very fun to be around. Now I spend less time doing it and also practising gratitude while monitoring my stress levels. I can see the good in people again (to a certain degree!).

“When we’re constantly exposed to negative news and information online, it can threaten our beliefs when it comes to our own mortality and the control we have over our own lives

Mr Reza Shabahang | College of Education, Psychology and Social Work

To avoid feeling overwhelmed, researchers recommend tracking your online habits and stepping away from social media and negative news when necessary.

To find out more, read Can doomscrolling trigger an existential crisis? on Science Daily.

References:

Flinders University. “Can doomscrolling trigger an existential crisis?.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 18 July 2024. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240718124709.htm>.