Doomscrolling By: Arav Patel

 Doomscrolling

By: Arav Patel

Today, it is not rare to see people spend hours scrolling through various social media

apps without noticing how much time has passed. Each next TikTok, reel, or short brings people

to watch more, until suddenly an hour is spent just scrolling. When people do this, it is called

“doomscrolling.” It is common among teens and young adults who spend a lot of time on

TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and similar apps, even though they know the content they watch is

not making them happier.

Most of the time, doomscrolling is caused by features that are present in most social

media apps. Notifications, endless videos, and algorithms are all aimed at making users stick and

stay online as long as possible. People use the platforms to check some information, yet they

become distracted by other posts and videos. Under certain conditions, people may resort to

“doomscrolling” to find updates or simply distract themselves from something, thus increasing

stress. However, the major drawback of doomscrolling is associated with the amount of time

spent on social media platforms. When students intend to work on their assignments, have

enough rest, get to bed early, etc., doomscrolling happens. Moreover, it is not always easy to

return to work after such sessions, as it is difficult to concentrate on anything for a long time.

Furthermore, mental health is affected harmfully as well. Reading about negative things,

fighting in debates, comparing oneself to other people, and their unreal lives may cause

insecurity and stress. Most people cannot stop scrolling even if they realize that the content

affects their mental state negatively.

Despite all the drawbacks, social media is harmless in general, and people use it mainly

for fun or for communication. Nonetheless, doomscrolling is still common; it is essential to

spend less time on social media.