- The act of spending an excessive amount of time consuming large quantities of negative news online, often compulsively, to the point where it becomes detrimental to one's mental health.
- Typically involves endlessly scrolling through feeds (social media, news sites) filled with bad news (e.g., pandemics, political strife, climate change disasters).
Explanation
Origin
- The term gained significant traction in 2020, particularly due to the convergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, social unrest, and contentious political events globally.
- Coined from doom (referring to the negative, often catastrophic nature of the news) and scrolling (the physical action of navigating online feeds).
- While the behavior existed before, the label doomscrolling captured the specific, often anxiety-driven, compulsion to keep reading bad news.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- Going down a bad news rabbit hole.
- Binge-reading depressing shit online. (Vulgar)
Milder/More Formal:
- Excessive consumption of negative online news.
- Compulsive monitoring of troubling events.
Situational Appropriateness
- Informal to neutral. Appropriate in personal conversations, discussions about mental health, media consumption, and current events.
- Might appear in articles or discussions about well-being in professional contexts.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Unlikely to be misunderstood by those familiar with internet culture. Someone completely unfamiliar might need the definition.
Examples
- I need to stop doomscrolling before bed; it's giving me anxiety.
- He spent the whole weekend doomscrolling through Twitter and now feels depressed.
- My screen time report showed hours of news apps – classic doomscrolling.
Dialogue
Person A: I feel exhausted and just generally down today.
Person B: Sorry to hear that. Any particular reason?
Person A: I think I spent way too much time doomscrolling last night. Just hours reading about all the terrible stuff happening.
Person B: Oh man, I know how that goes. It really gets to you. Maybe try putting your phone away an hour before sleep tonight?
Social Media Examples
- Tweet: Made a conscious effort to avoid doomscrolling today and read a book instead. Feeling slightly more human. #mentalhealth #digitaldetox
- Instagram post caption: Friendly reminder to step away from the screen if you find yourself doomscrolling. Protect your peace. 🌿
- Reddit thread title: What are your best strategies to stop doomscrolling?
Response Patterns
- Empathy/Agreement: Yeah, I do that too sometimes. / It's really hard to stop.
- Concern: Oh no, you should take a break from the news. / Maybe try limiting your time online?
- Sharing tips: I set timers on my apps to prevent doomscrolling.
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After someone mentions doomscrolling:
- Ask how they're feeling: Are you okay? / How's that affecting you?
- Suggest alternatives: Maybe read a book or go for a walk instead?
- Discuss strategies to stop: Have you tried deleting the apps for a bit?
- Share resources for mental well-being.
Conversation Starter
- Yes, especially in contexts discussing mental health, current events, or technology habits. Anyone else find themselves doomscrolling lately?
Intonation
- Often said with weariness, self-reproach, or concern.
- Emphasis typically on doom. DOOMscrolling.
Generation Differences
- Most recognized and used by Millennials and Gen Z, who are heavy users of the social media platforms where doomscrolling often occurs. Older generations experience the behavior but may not use the specific term as frequently.
Regional Variations
- Widely understood across English-speaking regions, especially since the events of 2020 made it a globally relevant concept.