Are you in the habit of doomscrolling? Hidden dangers you don't want to hear about

The word Doomscrolling was coined in 2020, and became extremely popular during the Covid 19 pandemic, when negative (and often false) news was constantly circulated, on your phone, app or TV. While staying informed, especially in the middle of a health emergency (or even otherwise) is important, the practice of endlessly scrolling through negative news laced with fear, doom, and anger, is extremely dangerous for you. Here's how...

Even a perfectly healthy and positive person will get disheartened to constantly hear talks about death, and doom. Doomscrolling without any agenda in mind (a particular information you want) is highly likely to increase your stress and even give you anxiety and depression, since your mind will keep repeating those thoughts even after you have logged out of the world. Keep a track only for information purposes, nothing else.

Doomscrolling can inculcate an extremely negative mindset in you, one that can only think of as glass half empty, and even if that thought is true, you do not have to constantly think about it. Doomscrolling will eventually turn you into an extremely pessimistic person since the barrage of information available online will tell you that there is no hope left for anyone in the world anymore.

The constant stream of conflicting information from different sources can lead to confusion and a sense of losing touch with reality. In such a situation, you are likely to turn into a zombie like individual, who will eventually get cut out from the real world, and lose touch with reality. Not only that, under this state of mind, you are likely to take many wrong decisions, that you will regret later.

Like it is with all other addictions, Doomscrolling too can make you an addict. People don't realise an addiction unless it is tangible to see, such as smoking, drinking or drugs, but the fact is that this too is an addiction, and a difficult one to get rid of. Constantly scrolling through negative news will eventually become your safe space (as ironical as that sounds), and you will shut off from the world, and keep doing this only, for the rest of your day. Stop before it consumes you.

We spoke about mental issues that arise after doomscrolling, but there is a flip side as well, and that is physical issues. The habit can give you a headache and a real one at that! Not only that, it can also reduce your appetite, give you insomnia, muscle aches and tensions, and a racing heart. To wrap it up, while it is important to stay informed, do not let your entire world be consumed by doomscrolling. Stay aware, yet detached!