Origins

The practice of doomscrolling can be compared to an older phenomenon from the 1970s called the mean world syndrome, described as "the belief that the world is a more dangerous place to live in than it actually is as a result of long-term exposure to violence-related content on television".^[4] Studies show that seeing upsetting news leads people to seek out more information on the topic, creating a self-perpetuating cycle.^[5]

In common parlance, the word "doom" connotes darkness and evil, referring to one's fate (cf. damnation).^[6] In the early online days, "surfing" was a common verb used in reference to browsing the internet; similarly, the word "scrolling" refers to sliding through online content.^[6] Though the word "doomscrolling" is not found in their dictionary itself, Merriam-Webster is "watching" the term—a designation for words receiving increased use in society that do not yet meet their criteria for inclusion.^[2] Dictionary.com chose it as the top monthly trend in August 2020.^[7] The Macquarie Dictionary named doomscrolling as the 2020 Committee's Choice Word of the Year.^[8]

Popularity

The term gained popularity in the early 2020s^[1][9] through events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the George Floyd protests, the 2020 U.S. presidential election, the storming of the U.S. Capitol in 2021, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine since 2022,^[10] all of which have been noted to have exacerbated the practice of doomscrolling.^[6][11][12]

Doomscrolling became widespread among Twitter users during the COVID-19 pandemic,^[13] and has also been discussed in relation to the climate crisis.^[14]

Negativity bias

The act of doomscrolling can be attributed to the natural negativity bias people have when consuming information.^[9] Negativity bias is the idea that negative events have a larger impact on one's mental well-being than good ones.^[15] Jeffrey Hall, a professor of communication studies at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, notes that due to an individual's regular state of contentment, potential threats provoke one's attention.^[16] One psychiatrist at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center notes that humans are "all hardwired to see the negative and be drawn to the negative because it can harm [them] physically."^[17] He cites evolution as the reason for why humans seek out such negatives: if one's ancestors, for example, discovered how an ancient creature could injure them, they could avoid that fate.^[18]

As opposed to primitive humans, however, most people in modern times do not realize that they are even seeking negative information. Social media algorithms heed the content users engage in and display posts similar in nature, which can aid in the act of doomscrolling.^[16] As per the clinic director of the Perelman School of Medicine's Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety: "People have a question, they want an answer, and assume getting it will make them feel better... You keep scrolling and scrolling. Many think that will be helpful, but they end up feeling worse afterward."^[18]

Brain anatomy

Doomscrolling, the compulsion to engross oneself in negative news, may be the result of an evolutionary mechanism where humans are "wired to screen for and anticipate danger".^[19] By frequently monitoring events surrounding negative headlines, staying informed may grant the feeling of being better prepared; however, prolonged scrolling may also lead to worsened mood and mental health as personal fears might seem heightened.^[19]

The inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) plays an important role in information processing and integrating new information into beliefs about reality.^[19][20] In the IFG, the brain "selectively filters bad news" when presented with new information as it updates beliefs.^[19] When a person engages in doomscrolling, the brain may feel under threat and shut off its "bad news filter" in response.^[19]

In a study where researchers manipulated the left IFG using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), patients were more likely to incorporate negative information when updating beliefs.^[20] This suggests that the left IFG may be responsible for inhibiting bad news from altering personal beliefs; when participants were presented with favorable information and received TMS, the brain still updated beliefs in response to the positive news.^[20] The study also suggests that the brain selectively filters information and updates beliefs in a way that reduces stress and anxiety by processing good news with higher regard (see optimistic bias).^[20] Increased doomscrolling exposes the brain to greater quantities of unfavorable news and may restrict the brain's ability to embrace good news and discount bad news;^[20] this can result in negative emotions that make one feel anxious, depressed, and isolated.^[18]

Psychological effects

Health professionals have advised that excessive doomscrolling can negatively impact existing mental health issues.^[19][21][22] While the overall impact that doomscrolling has on people may vary,^[23] it can often make one feel anxious, stressed, fearful, depressed, and isolated.^[19]