Experts warn about effects of ‘doomscrolling’

(WTTV/WXIN) — A study published by the National Institutes of Health is warning about the effects of a social media phenomenon known as “doomscrolling.”

Doomscrolling refers to people who scroll social media sites to watch one dark, disturbing, or scary post or video after another. The more you do it, the more dark or depressing posts will appear in your feed or timeline. There are entire accounts dedicated to morbid, disturbing stories and articles about murders, natural disasters and other tragedies caught on video.

The NIH study found that doomscrolling appears as a vicious cycle in which users find themselves stuck in a pattern of seeking negative information no matter how bad the news is.

And that can have a negative affect on your mental health, especially for those who already struggle with anxiety and depression. Because of social media, people are exposed to more information than ever before; doomscrolling can make the world seem even more dangerous and scary.

There is also an addictive component to this, according to the study. Part of that is made worse by the algorithms that feed content to our timelines, based on what we scroll and click on. If you follow accounts dedicated to bad news, more similar accounts will come across your screen.  Over time, the effect can take you to some dark emotional places.

Experts recommend putting some limits on your social media time, even if it means putting your phone in another room so you’re not tempted to scroll so often. Also, try some different activities that don’t involve the internet at all. And if you want to see less doom and gloom in your timeline, start searching for more positive content like puppy videos and uplifting stories.

The bottom line, according to experts, is that you need to be honest with yourself and recognize if this is becoming an issue for you. If so, it might be time to reach out for some professional counseling.

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