This article is general information, not medical advice. If constant worry about the news, persistent anxiety or low mood is affecting your daily life or sleep, consider talking with a doctor or mental-health professional. The habits below can support, but do not replace, professional care. If you are in crisis, contact local emergency services or a crisis line.
What doomscrolling is
Doomscrolling means continuing to scroll through bad or upsetting news and posts well past the point where it is useful, often while feeling worse. It can happen on social media, news sites, video platforms or message groups. It is not a medical term, and there is no exact threshold for when scrolling becomes “doom”. The simple test is how you feel afterward and whether you intended to spend the time that way.
Wanting to stay informed is reasonable. Doomscrolling differs because the information stops helping. You have usually read the main facts, and further scrolling adds repetition, speculation and alarm rather than understanding.
Why endless feeds are hard to put down
Several things tend to combine, and understanding them can make the habit feel less like a personal failing.
There is no natural stopping point. A newspaper ends. A feed does not. Without an ending, you have to decide to stop, and that decision is harder when you are tired or distracted.
Uncertainty makes us want more information. When something frightening or unclear is happening, checking for updates can feel like a way to regain control. The relief is usually brief, so the checking repeats.
Negative information grabs attention. Many people find threatening or outrageous content hard to ignore, and platforms commonly show whatever keeps people engaged. Because of this, feeds can lean toward the dramatic.
Unpredictable rewards. Sometimes a scroll reveals something new or interesting, sometimes nothing. Unpredictable payoffs tend to encourage repeated checking.
It fills gaps. Waiting in line, lying in bed or sitting with an uncomfortable feeling are all moments when a phone is within reach.
How it can affect you
Effects differ widely, and researchers are still working out the details. Some people notice that heavy exposure to distressing news leaves them tense, irritable or low. Others notice it eats time they would rather spend elsewhere. Scrolling late at night can delay bedtime and leave your mind busy, which may make it harder to get enough sleep. Constant bad news can also feed anxious thoughts and overthinking, especially when you cannot do anything about the events.
None of this means that news is harmful in itself, or that you should stop caring about the world. It means that how and when you take it in matters.
Practical ways to cut down
Start with one or two ideas and adjust. The aim is to make stopping easier, not to rely on willpower alone.
Notice the pattern
For a few days, jot down when doomscrolling happens. Is it first thing in the morning, in bed, during a work lull, or after an argument? Knowing the trigger lets you plan for it. If it often follows stress, it may help to look at your wider stress management habits.
Set a stopping rule
Decide in advance how much time you will spend, or pick a natural endpoint, such as “I’ll read three articles and then stop”. A built-in app timer or a kitchen timer can add a nudge. Stopping rules work better when they are specific and written down.
Choose set times for news
Rather than checking constantly, pick one or two times a day, perhaps mid-morning and early evening. Many people find that major news will reach them anyway, and that they miss less than they feared.
Keep news out of bed
Charge your phone outside the bedroom or across the room if you can. The last and first minutes of the day are common doomscrolling windows. Replace them with something simple, like a book, stretching or some deep breathing.
Add friction
Move news and social apps off your home screen, log out after each session, or use a website blocker for set hours. Even a small pause can interrupt the automatic habit. Adjusting your notification settings also stops the constant prompts that start a session in the first place.
Curate your sources
Follow a few reliable sources rather than a continuous stream of commentary. Mute or unfollow accounts that consistently leave you agitated. Prefer sources that summarize events over those that cover every minute of a developing story. Reading a daily summary rather than live updates is a common compromise.
Replace, don’t just remove
If you take scrolling away without anything in its place, the gap tends to refill. Keep a few easy alternatives ready: a short walk, a phone call to a friend, a puzzle, a podcast or a hobby. Even five minutes can break the loop. Connecting with others through social connection or talking about feelings often helps more than another round of headlines.
Do something with the worry
If a story really bothers you, consider whether there is one small action you can take, such as donating if you are able, contacting a representative or helping a neighbor. If there is nothing to do, acknowledging that can help you let go. Writing worries in a journal can also help get them out of your head.
When you slip
You will probably still fall into a long scroll sometimes. Notice it without harsh self-criticism, put the phone down, and take a drink of water or step outside. Self-compassion tends to be more useful than guilt, and it makes it easier to try again tomorrow.
When to get more support
If following the news is linked to constant dread, trouble sleeping, panic or low mood, or if you feel unable to stop even though you want to, it is reasonable to seek help from a doctor or mental-health professional. Needing support is common and nothing to be embarrassed about.