What is Doomscrolling?
Doomscrolling is the habit of obsessively scrolling through negative news or content, even though it fuels anxiety, sadness, or stress. It became especially common during the pandemic — and many people haven’t stopped.
The brain craves certainty in uncertain times, so it keeps searching for more information in the hope of feeling in control. Unfortunately, the opposite usually happens: we become more anxious, overwhelmed, and stuck in a cycle of digital distress.
What Does Doomscrolling Do to Your Mental Health?
- Increases Anxiety and Low Mood: Constant exposure to distressing content activates the stress response system — especially for people already prone to anxiety or depression.
- Disrupts Sleep: Checking your phone before bed with a feed full of bad news? It can delay sleep and worsen insomnia.
- Reduces Focus: Our brains weren’t designed for constant alerts and interruptions. Over time, doomscrolling trains us to be more reactive and less able to focus deeply.
- Normalises Fear: When your feed is filled with disasters, violence, and division, it skews your perception of the world — making you feel more helpless or unsafe than you actually are.
5 Tips to Break the Doomscrolling Cycle
- Set Boundaries on Screen Time
Use app timers or your phone’s digital wellbeing tools. Try checking the news only twice a day. - Curate Your Feed
Follow accounts that uplift, educate, or inspire. Unfollow those that constantly trigger stress or anger. - Have a Digital “Cut-off” Time
Avoid screens at least 30–60 minutes before bed. Swap scrolling for reading, journaling, or listening to music. - Practice “Conscious Scrolling”
Ask yourself: “Is this helping or harming me?” before opening a news app or social feed. - Replace the Habit
Every time you get the urge to scroll, do something else for 5 minutes — stretch, breathe, go outside, talk to someone, or sip water. Often, the urge passes.
When to Seek Support
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or unable to control your digital habits, it’s okay to seek help. A psychologist or counsellor can help you understand what’s behind the compulsion and build healthier coping tools.
You don’t have to give up your phone — just change the way you use it.
Need to talk to someone?
Use our directory to find a qualified mental health professional near you — or one that offers telehealth anywhere in Australia.
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