The world is more connected in so many ways. Instagram. TikTok. Facebook. X. YouTube. Discord. Reddit. Kick. Twitch. LinkedIn. Everyone has some form of social media in their life. Or are you still using snail mail?
What is Doom Scrolling
A simple way to look at it is a negative feed, where the only thing you consume on social media is the bad stuff in the world. Politics, death, war, violence, hate watchers, fake news. The list is so long for what can be a negative feed. But it ultimately comes down to the person. Do you feel anxious, uncertainty, apprehension, fear, and feelings of distress after scrolling on TikTok or X? Then that’s doom scrolling. Anything that can affect you in a negative way when consuming media is a part of doom scrolling.
There are studies on the dangers of doom scrolling.
Is It Doom Scrolling if it Serves a purpose
Taking time to see what’s going on in the bubble of your network isn’t dooming. But it could be the network that needs to be reevaluated. If it’s more bad information or negative comments, then it's time to look at your network. Who are you following that brings so much negative news to your feed? Or are you enjoying the toxic state of the Internet?
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to 8 Bit Void to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.