In today’s world, social media and news websites are a big part of our lives.
Sometimes, it’s hard to stop looking through these sites, even when the news is really sad or scary. This can make us feel down or stressed.
There’s a word for when we can’t stop looking at bad news on our phones or computers: doomscrolling. Have you ever found yourself stuck in this loop? Well, you’re not alone.
In this article, I’ll talk about what doomscrolling means, how it might make you feel, and when people might find themselves doing it. I’ll also touch on whether it’s okay to talk about at work or around kids.
Key Takeaways:
- Doomscrolling is when you spend a lot of time looking at bad news online, which can make you feel sad or worried.
- It often brings out feelings of worry or sadness because the news is usually about bad things happening.
- People tend to doomscroll during big events or crises when there’s a lot of negative news.
- Doomscrolling isn’t really a good topic for work discussions because it’s about sad events and can make the mood heavy.
- It’s not very safe for kids to be around doomscrolling since the news can be quite scary and could upset them.
Meaning of Doomscrolling
When I talk about doomscrolling, I’m referring to when people find themselves reading a lot of negative news stories or social media posts that make them feel anxious or sad.
It’s like they’re drawn to these stories even though they know it’s making them feel worse. With so much happening in the world, there’s always some kind of crisis or bad news that gets a lot of attention online.
When we start reading about these things, it’s hard to stop, and that’s when we fall into the trap of doomscrolling.
Examples
Here are a few examples of when doomscrolling can happen in real life:
- During a health crisis like a pandemic, people might check for updates constantly and end up reading a lot of upsetting news about the number of cases and the challenges hospitals are facing.
- If there’s bad weather, like a huge storm or a wildfire, people may scroll through endless updates and images of the damage, feeling more and more worried as they go.
- Political turmoil or a big election can also lead to doomscrolling, as people look at article after article about conflicts or problems in governments.
Understanding doomscrolling can help us manage our time online better, so we can take breaks and look after our well-being.
