There are many times when we find ourselves staring at our phones for hours at a time, reading news and watching videos that are anything but pleasant. And yet we find it hard to stop. We have now found the scientific name for it and it is none other than doomscrolling.
In fact, it is particularly dangerous when it happens to teenagers and young adults (12-15 years old), as this is when the brain and psychosocial skills are in a phase of rapid maturation. Thus, this habit is associated with indicators of mental distress and changes in the regulation of attention, reward and stress.
This is why the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with UNICEF, under the National Action for the Health Promotion of Children and their Families and the “RISPECT in Your Life” pillar, is emphasizing awareness-raising around digital habits and how they affect young people’s daily lives.
So what is dommscrolling?
Domscrolling is defined as the impulsive, prolonged consumption of negative news content – often via social media feeds – that maintains or intensifies anxiety, malaise and feelings of threat. In adolescence and young adulthood (12-25 years), when the brain and psychosocial skills are in a phase of rapid maturation, this habit is associated with indicators of psychological distress and changes in the regulation of attention, reward, and stress (Paulus et al., 2023).
The term emerged in the mid-2010s and was widely established during the COVID-19 pandemic, initially describing the constant, anxious consumption of negative news related to crises and social threats (Satici et al, 2023).
In recent years the concept has been broadened to include any form of compulsive or self-destructive scrolling, regardless of the nature of the content. Research literature highlights that doomscrolling constitutes an attentional trap mechanism that is amplified by platform algorithms, causing a sense of loss of control, fatigue, and psychological distress (Sharma, Lee, & Johnson, 2022). Approaches such as that of McLaughlin, Gotlieb and Mills (2023) speak of problematic news consumption, placing the phenomenon within a broader spectrum of addictive digital behaviours characterised by repetition, anxious information seeking and difficulty disconnecting.
As part of the National Action, the project focuses on raising awareness among young people, parents and teachers about the effects of digital content overconsumption, reinforcing critical digital behaviour and providing practical tools for dealing with it.
How can I tell if my child is excessively doomscrolling;
Signs you may be concerned about include increased anxiety or irritability, difficulty sleeping, decreased concentration at school, low mood after time on mobile, and a reaction or unwillingness to move away from devices. If your child seems more upset or more withdrawn after using the phone, it’s worth having a calm and considerate discussion about the content they’ve been watching.
What can I do at home to help?
Some small steps that can make a meaningful difference: establish mutually agreed upon screen-free times (such as at mealtime and bedtime), keep devices out of the bedroom at night, and set an example yourself – children notice when parents are constantly distracted by their phones. You don’t have to ban screens completely, boundaries and discussion are more valuable than banning.
Parental controls can be a useful tool, especially for younger children, but they work best when combined with open communication rather than as a substitute for it. Older adolescents, in particular, are more likely to respond positively to mutually agreed upon limits than to restrictions imposed unilaterally.
When should I seek professional help?
If your child is showing persistent signs of anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances or social isolation that seem to be related to internet use, it is worth contacting your family doctor or a mental health professional. As these symptoms are increasingly common, there is effective and available support.
