Doomscrolling: Why You Can’t Stop (and How to Break the Habit Without Forcing Willpower)
Doomscrolling” is one of the most misunderstood habits of modern life. It’s easy to label it as “bad screen time” or a lack of self-control, but most people don’t doomscroll because they’re lazy or careless. They doomscroll because their nervous system is searching for certainty.
For many high-achieving adults, especially those carrying cultural pressure to stay composed and capable, doomscrolling becomes a hidden coping strategy. It looks like switching off, but it often functions as a form of emotional management: staying mentally busy so you don’t have to feel what’s underneath. That’s why you might keep scrolling even when you’re tired, even when you hate what you’re reading, even when it makes you feel worse.
The real question isn’t “Why am I doing this?”
It’s “What is my mind trying to protect me from?”
What doomscrolling actually is (and why it’s so addictive)
Doomscrolling is the repetitive consumption of negative or distressing content—news, social media, online debates, crisis updates—often for longer than you intended. It’s not just scrolling. It’s scrolling with a sense of urgency.
The addiction isn’t only to the content. It’s to the state it creates:
hyper-alertness
constant checking
“just one more update”
a feeling of being mentally occupied
This matters because, psychologically, doomscrolling can function like a safety behaviour. The mind believes: If I keep watching, I’ll be prepared. Even if you feel worse, staying informed can feel like staying protected.
Signs doomscrolling is affecting your mental health
Many people don’t realise doomscrolling is impacting them until they notice changes in their mood, sleep, or relationships.
You might notice:
feeling anxious, unsettled, or tense after scrolling
waking up and checking your phone immediately
scrolling at night, then struggling to sleep
feeling low, hopeless, or emotionally numb
finding it harder to focus at work
irritability, impatience, or feeling “on edge”
comparing yourself to others or feeling behind
reaching for your phone whenever you have a quiet moment
The key sign is this: you scroll to feel better, but it repeatedly makes you feel worse.
The psychology of doomscrolling: what your brain is doing
Doomscrolling is not a moral failure. It’s often a nervous system response.
Your brain is constantly scanning for threat. In uncertain times, social media and news platforms become a powerful trigger because they offer:
alert-style information (breaking news, urgent posts)
endless novelty (new content every second)
emotional intensity (fear, outrage, sadness, urgency)
This creates a loop:
You feel uneasy or overstimulated
You scroll to reduce uncertainty
You absorb more distressing content
Your nervous system becomes more activated
You feel worse, so you scroll again
It becomes self-reinforcing, not because you enjoy it, but because your mind is trying to regain a sense of control.
The part most people don’t talk about: doomscrolling as emotional avoidance
A unique but important truth is that doomscrolling can be a socially acceptable way to avoid your own feelings.
If you are someone who carries a lot—responsibility, performance pressure, family expectations—quiet moments can feel uncomfortable. Silence can bring up emotions you’ve been pushing down: loneliness, grief, resentment, fear, uncertainty, even anger.
Doomscrolling fills that emotional space instantly.
This is especially common in people who are high functioning. You may be capable, successful, and dependable, but internally you might feel emotionally overloaded. Doomscrolling becomes a way to “switch off” without actually resting.
In therapy, many clients realise doomscrolling isn’t the problem by itself. It’s the symptom of a deeper pattern:
difficulty tolerating uncertainty
fear of missing something important
anxiety that needs somewhere to go
emotional exhaustion that has no outlet
the habit of staying mentally busy to feel safe
When you understand this, the solution becomes more compassionate and more effective. You don’t just block apps. You work with the underlying need.
How doomscrolling affects the body (not just the mind)
Doomscrolling doesn’t only affect thoughts. It affects the nervous system.
When you consume threatening content repeatedly, your body responds as if danger is nearby. This can lead to:
tight chest or shallow breathing
jaw clenching or tension headaches
restlessness and agitation
digestive discomfort
disrupted sleep and early waking
fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest
Many people confuse this for “burnout” or “random anxiety,” without realising their nervous system is being repeatedly activated late into the evening.
It’s not just screen time. It’s repeated stress exposure.
How to stop doomscrolling (without relying on willpower)
Most advice tells you to “just stop scrolling.” But if doomscrolling is soothing your nervous system in the short term, you need a replacement—not just restriction.
Here are strategies that work because they address the function of doomscrolling:
1) Name the urge before you act on it
Instead of “I’m scrolling again,” try:
“I’m looking for certainty right now.”
This shifts you from autopilot to awareness.
2) Set a transition ritual, not a rule
Instead of banning scrolling, create a small alternative action first:
drink water
wash your face
stand up and stretch
step outside for two minutes
This interrupts the loop gently.
3) Create a “closing time” for information
Your nervous system needs a boundary between the world and your bed.
A practical rule is: no news or social media 60 minutes before sleep.
4) Separate “being informed” from “being flooded”
Try this structure:
check updates once or twice a day
choose one trusted news source
avoid endless commentary and opinion threads
5) Use a grounding swap when the urge hits
If doomscrolling is your way of regulating stress, replace it with something that regulates your body:
slow breathing
short walk
shower
calming music
journaling one page
You’re not removing comfort—you’re upgrading it.
6) Ask the deeper question
The most powerful question is:
“What do I feel when I stop scrolling?”
If the answer is anxiety, loneliness, emptiness, or fear, that’s not a failure—it’s information.
When doomscrolling might be a sign you need support
If doomscrolling has become part of your daily routine, it may be less about “bad habits” and more about what your mind is trying to manage. For many people, doomscrolling is not the core problem — it is a symptom. It can sit on top of anxiety, chronic stress, burnout, low mood, unresolved grief, trauma-related hypervigilance, or a nervous system that has been on high alert for too long.
That’s why simply deleting apps or using screen limits doesn’t always work. If the scrolling is helping you avoid discomfort, regulate emotion, or feel a sense of control, the urge will often return in a different form. Sustainable change comes from understanding what doomscrolling is doing for you, and learning healthier ways to meet that underlying need.
If you’d like support with anxiety, overwhelm, sleep issues, or feeling constantly switched on, book an introductory call. It’s a confidential space to explore what’s driving the cycle and take a first step toward feeling calmer, clearer, and more emotionally steady.
