Doomscrolling and News Fatigue: Protecting Your Mental Health in the Digital Age
- Sarah Munn
- Jul 25
- 4 min read
It starts innocently enough — a quick check of the news to stay informed. But one headline leads to another, and suddenly you’ve been scrolling for 45 minutes, deep in a spiral of crisis, disaster, and controversy. This is doomscrolling: the act of compulsively consuming negative news, even when it leaves you feeling anxious or hopeless.
In an era of 24/7 updates and social media algorithms designed to keep us engaged, doomscrolling has become a shared experience — and a growing mental health concern. While staying informed is important, constant exposure to distressing content can have serious psychological consequences.
What Is Doomscrolling?
The term "doomscrolling" gained popularity in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the behavior has existed long before. It refers to the habit of endlessly scrolling through bad news, especially online, despite it worsening your mood.
According to Dr. Amelia Aldao, a clinical psychologist and researcher, "We are biologically wired to look out for threats, and doomscrolling capitalizes on that vulnerability by providing an endless stream of potential dangers.”
The problem is that this stream rarely resolves — it only prolongs uncertainty and heightens our stress response.
The Psychological Toll of Doomscrolling and News Fatigue
From a mental health perspective, doomscrolling has several negative effects:
Anxiety and depression: A 2022 study published in Health Communication found that individuals who consumed more COVID-19-related news experienced significantly higher levels of stress and anxiety.
Sleep disruption: The Sleep Foundation reports that screen use before bed — especially when consuming emotionally charged news — can delay sleep onset and reduce sleep quality.
Emotional exhaustion and desensitization: Constant exposure to traumatic content can lead to what psychologists call compassion fatigue, a state of emotional numbing.
“When people feel they have no control over the events they’re reading about, it leads to feelings of helplessness, which is a core driver of depression,” says Dr. Patricia Celan, a psychiatry resident at Dalhousie University.
How to Recognize News Fatigue
News fatigue occurs when you're overwhelmed by the volume and tone of news content. It’s your mind signaling it’s reached capacity. Common signs include:
Avoiding news altogether
Feeling anxious before or after checking headlines
Emotional numbness or cynicism
Difficulty concentrating
A 2023 Pew Research Center survey found that 7 in 10 Americans feel “worn out” by the amount of news they encounter daily. This chronic exposure with minimal relief fuels a sense of burnout.
How to Cope: Strategies to Reduce Doomscrolling and Protect Your Mental Health
To counter doomscrolling and regain balance, consider the following expert-backed strategies:
1. Set Intentional Boundaries
Dr. Anna Lembke, a psychiatrist at Stanford and author of Dopamine Nation, explains, “We are in a dopamine-rich environment. The constant novelty and unpredictability of news feeds hijack our brain’s reward system.”
Limit news intake to specific times of day — and not within an hour of bedtime. Tools like Apple’s Screen Time or the Forest app can help enforce limits.
2. Curate Your Information Sources
Be selective about what you consume. Follow reputable journalism outlets and consider using newsletters like The Skimm or Morning Brew that summarize news in digestible formats.
Dr. Jenny Taitz, a clinical psychologist and author, advises: “Balance your media diet. For every grim headline, try to read something that brings you hope or practical action.”
3. Practice Mindful Media Consumption
Mindfulness involves noticing your habits without judgment. If you catch yourself compulsively scrolling, pause and ask: Is this helping or harming me right now?
Apps like Headspace or Insight Timer offer quick grounding exercises that can help interrupt the scroll spiral.
4. Schedule “News-Free” Zones
Block out certain times in your day — mealtimes, workouts, social hours — where the news is off-limits. These breaks are essential for emotional recovery.
5. Take Purposeful Action
Doing something — no matter how small — can reduce helplessness. Volunteer, donate, or have a meaningful conversation.
“Action is the antidote to despair,” writes mental health advocate Megan Devine. Feeling empowered, even in small ways, can reduce anxiety and restore agency.
Conclusion: Choose Awareness, Not Overwhelm
It’s healthy to want to stay informed. But when information starts to erode your well-being, it’s time to reset. Doomscrolling thrives on the illusion that one more headline will give us peace — but often, it just deepens our distress.
Dr. Alok Kanojia, a psychiatrist and founder of HealthyGamer, sums it up well: “Our brains weren’t built to process global suffering 24/7. Mental health in the digital age means knowing when to disconnect.”
Stay informed, but also stay grounded. Your mental health deserves just as much attention as the headlines.
If you're feeling anxious or overwhelmed, reach out to ResilienSEA Health Solutions to learn coping strategies and get the support you need!
References
Aldao, A. (2020). Interview on CNN Health
Celan, P. (2021). Commentary on doomscrolling and helplessness. PsychCentral.
Health Communication Journal (2022). "Media Use and Anxiety During the Pandemic"
Pew Research Center (2023). "News Fatigue and Trust in Journalism"
Lembke, A. (2021). Dopamine Nation
Taitz, J. (2019). How to Be Single and Happy
Devine, M. (2017). It’s OK That You’re Not OK
Kanojia, A. (2021). Interviews and talks via HealthyGamerGG
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