Doomscrolling: The Intense Level of Social Media Addiction

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It's 10:37 pm on Sunday, 21st July, as I begin this article. 

My typical Sunday involves attending church, returning home, having lunch, and watching Netflix series. At day's end after supper, I do the dishes, and when settled, I plan my week, which sometimes amounts to nothing if I lack productive plans. 

Currently awaiting graduation, I spend my time at home writing content and possibly creating videos for GizMunch, a tech media brand I manage. As a self-taught, seasonal graphic designer, I take on any small gig, striving to be as productive as possible.

The issue arises when I'm in a productive state; social media notifications from apps like TikTok and Instagram incessantly interrupt me. The temptation to check these notifications often leads me down a social media rabbit hole, which has become a habitual distraction. Unfortunately, this issue intensified about a month ago.

To my Kenyan readers, it's no secret that we've been grappling with protests and political unrest for some time. Our government has been dismissive of our efforts to have our voices heard and acknowledged with some degree of sensibility, to ease the life of a Kenyan, particularly the youth and future generations. We've resorted to digital activism to amplify our pleas globally.

With the onset of peaceful protests, many of us have been glued to Twitter, ensuring that accurate information about the country's state, factual speakers, and events is disseminated. Our posts have become tools of demonstration, urging the government to heed the citizens' pleas. Consequently, many have found themselves constantly checking for updates on the city streets, leading to what is now known as 'Doomscrolling'.

What is Doomscrolling?

I did some research the previous week before the thought of this article came up, and it reached a point where I came to a moment of realization, I have been spending too much of my mornings on Instagram. I told myself, "This is too much doomscrolling and I need a detox for real."

According to health.com, Doomscrolling refers to the act of continuously seeking out distressing or negative content on social media or news platforms. The concept stems from the desire to gather all necessary information to safeguard oneself against potential dangers in the environment.

It should be understood that Doomscrolling is a type of smartphone addiction where one becomes engrossed in a serious topic, such as an ongoing crisis. In 2020, the term was common for many, but I don't remember being overly consumed by social media due to the rising COVID-19 case numbers in Kenya and globally, as BBC, CNN, Sky News, and local channels provided ample information to cause concern.

As a new week begins, we may encounter further disheartening news of a young person being brutally killed by the police or of someone betraying their community, and we might become engrossed in the ensuing drama and crisis. Don't misunderstand me; we have the Right to Information. However, there's a certain amount of content that I sift through and absorb from the internet which I find distressing, irritating, deceptive, and ultimately saddening.

How Doomscrolling varies from Social Media Addiction

In some ways, doomscrolling and social media addiction are related but distinct phenomena, each with its own characteristics and implications.

Doomscrolling refers to the tendency to continuously scroll through bad news on social media or news websites, despite the negative impact it may have on one's mental health, whereas social media addiction is a broader term that describes an excessive and compulsive use of social media platforms, leading to significant impairment in daily functioning.

Characteristics of Doomscrolling:

• Focus on Negative Content: Doomscrolling is specifically about consuming negative or distressing news, often related to crises, disasters, or other worrying events.
• Emotional Impact: It often leads to feelings of anxiety, stress, and helplessness.
• Behavioural Pattern: The behaviour is driven by the compulsion to stay informed, often under the belief that missing out on information could be detrimental.

Causes of Doomscrolling:

• Uncertain Times: Often spikes during periods of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, political upheavals, or natural disasters.
• Psychological Factors: Anxiety, a need for control, and a natural human bias towards negative information.

Implications:

• Mental Health: This can lead to increased anxiety, depression, and stress.
• Productivity: May reduce productivity as it distracts from other activities.

Characteristics of Social Media Addition:

• Broad Usage: Involves spending excessive time on various social media activities, such as posting updates, commenting, liking, and browsing through feeds.
• Reward System: Driven by the brain's reward system, seeking likes, comments, and social validation.
• Interference with Life: Negatively affects work, relationships, and daily responsibilities due to excessive time spent online.

Causes of Social Media Addiction:

• Psychological Factors: Low self-esteem, social anxiety, loneliness, and the need for social validation.
• Design of Platforms: Social media platforms are designed to be addictive, with algorithms that keep users engaged.

Implications:

• Mental Health: This can lead to anxiety, depression, and loneliness.
• Physical Health: This may result in poor posture, eye strain, and sleep disturbances.
• Social Impact: Can affect real-life social interactions and relationships.

Doomscrolling and social media addiction differ in their scope and duration. Doomscrolling is often situational, with its occurrence spiking during periods of crisis or significant negative events. It is typically a more short-term behaviour that subsides when the situation improves. Conversely, social media addiction is a more persistent and long-term behaviour that affects daily life. It involves a continuous pattern of excessive social media use that interferes with work, relationships, and other daily responsibilities, leading to significant impairment in overall functioning.

The emotional responses elicited by doomscrolling and social media addiction also vary. Doomscrolling primarily leads to feelings of anxiety and stress due to the constant exposure to negative content. The focus on bad news can create a sense of helplessness and increased mental strain. In contrast, social media addiction can evoke a mix of emotions. While users may experience short-term pleasure and satisfaction from receiving likes and comments, the long-term effects can include anxiety, depression, and a sense of inadequacy due to the constant comparison with others and the pressure to maintain an online presence.

Ways to Curb Doomscrolling and Social Media Addiction

Just as I discover the root of my problem, knowing what doomscrolling is can be helpful when you attempt to stop. It's important to recognize that you're doing it at all. Plus, you can start by determining a baseline for how attached you are to your phone.

Think on Your Feelings - Consider your emotions after engaging in doomscrolling or doomsurfing. Does this activity leave you feeling informed and in control, or does it exacerbate feelings of anxiety and despair? If you experience the latter, break this habit as soon as possible.

Limit Screen Time - Consider limiting the time you spend on electronic devices. For instance, allocate 15 minutes to browse social media, and once that time elapses, set your phone aside and engage in another relaxing activity.

Take Control - If you're feeling anxious or sad about a particular issue, such as natural disaster relief, consider taking an active role. For instance, you could join a group that provides support to those impacted by the disaster. Engaging in this way may help you cope with feelings of helplessness.

Other additional methods to handling smartphone addiction:

• Go into your settings and turn off your phone's notifications.
• Downloading a tracking app, like IOS Screen Time for iPhone and Digital Wellbeing for Android, that can show you the amount of screen time you've had.
• Removing your phone from your bedroom to help you sleep.

Doomscrolling refers to the habit of continuously seeking out negative or depressing news on social media or news platforms. Individuals may engage in this to stay informed of potential dangers, but it can become a compulsive behaviour. Fortunately, strategies exist to combat doomscrolling, such as reflecting on one's emotions post-scrolling, reducing screen time, and engaging in positivity exercises.

Hope you break the curse by minimizing distractions and negative content on your feed and become a productive person and you conclude reading this.