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A teenager opens social media to check one update. Forty minutes later, they are still scrolling through stories about crime, war, disease outbreaks, natural disasters and personal tragedies. They may feel increasingly anxious or helpless, yet continue scrolling in the hope that the next post will provide some clarity or reassurance. This pattern is known as doomscrolling, a term used to describe compulsively consuming negative or distressing content online, even when doing so makes a person feel worse. While spending time on social media is not automatically harmful, repeatedly consuming upsetting information can affect how young people feel, sleep and function in their daily lives. Psychiatrists say the concern is not only about how many hours a child or teenager spends online. The type of content they consume, how they engage with it and how they feel afterwards can also matter.
What Is Doomscrolling And Why Is It Difficult To Stop?
Doomscrolling can appear to be a simple habit of checking the news or social media, but the behaviour can become repetitive. A young person may feel that they need to keep checking for another update, even after the information has already made them anxious. Dr Samant Darshi, Psychiatrist and De-addiction Specialist, Director, Psymate Healthcare, Noida, explains that the behaviour can keep the brain in a heightened state of alertness.
"Doomscrolling keeps the brain highly alert. Rather than giving assurance to a person that he or she is informed, it ends up making them worry and helpless or pessimistic," he says. The brain is naturally more sensitive to potential threats than to neutral information. Dr Gayatri Bhatia, Senior Consultant Psychiatry, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, explains that this is partly linked to negativity bias, through which the brain tends to pay greater attention to threatening or negative information. Digital platforms can intensify this response because emotionally charged content can attract attention and encourage continued engagement.
How Doomscrolling Can Affect Mental Health
Repeated exposure to distressing content does not necessarily mean that a young person will develop a mental health condition. However, experts say that doomscrolling has been associated with several aspects of poorer psychological well-being. "Doomscrolling keeps the brain highly alert," says Dr Darshi. "There have been correlations identified between doomscrolling and anxiety, depression, psychological distress, and poor psychological well-being." For young people, this may be particularly concerning because adolescence is already a period of significant emotional, social and developmental change. Constantly consuming stories about violence, illness, disasters or other threats can make the world appear more dangerous than it is. A teenager may begin to feel that something bad is always about to happen, even when there is no immediate threat around them.
Why Night-Time Doomscrolling Can Be Especially Harmful
One of the clearest ways excessive scrolling can interfere with everyday life is through sleep. Young people may start scrolling before bed and continue much longer than they intended. The content itself can also be stimulating or disturbing, making it harder to mentally switch off. "Nighttime scrolling puts the brain into overdrive when it should be relaxing," Dr Darshi explains. Poor sleep can then affect several areas of a young person's life, including concentration, emotional regulation and the ability to deal with stress. A teenager who regularly sleeps late because of social media may therefore find it harder to focus in class, manage emotions or cope with everyday challenges the following day.
It's Not Just About Screen Time
Parents often focus on how many hours their child spends on a phone. While overall screen time can be useful to monitor, experts say what happens during those hours also matters. Someone may spend time online watching educational content, talking to friends or pursuing a hobby. Another person may spend the same amount of time repeatedly consuming distressing news. Dr Darshi points out that passively engaging in repetitive scrolling can be particularly problematic. "It is not only about time spent online, what is consumed and how one feels while doing it matters as well," he says. He adds that repetitive passive scrolling has been linked with anxiety, depressive symptoms, loneliness and attention difficulties. This means parents and young people should look beyond the clock and consider how social media use is affecting mood, sleep, concentration and relationships.
Why Young Minds May Be Vulnerable
The adolescent years involve major changes in emotional regulation, decision-making and social development. Social media can add another layer to these challenges by providing a continuous stream of information and emotional stimulation. The constant availability of new content can also make it difficult for some young people to disengage. Each new post may appear to offer additional information or reassurance, but it can simultaneously introduce another disturbing story or potential threat.
This can create a cycle in which anxiety leads to more checking, and more checking exposes the person to more distressing information.
How Parents Can Help Children Break The Cycle
Completely banning social media may not always be realistic, particularly because digital platforms are now an important part of many young people's social lives. Instead, children can be encouraged to develop healthier boundaries around their online habits. Dr Darshi recommends setting limits on news consumption and social media use, particularly avoiding disturbing content close to bedtime. Taking regular screen breaks and spending time on activities that do not involve technology can also help. Parents can encourage activities such as outdoor exercise, reading, hobbies, face-to-face conversations and time with friends and family.
It can also help to have open conversations about what children are seeing online rather than simply criticising their screen use. Asking a teenager how certain content makes them feel can help identify whether scrolling has become a source of anxiety.
When Should Parents Seek Professional Help?
Doomscrolling by itself does not necessarily indicate a psychiatric disorder. However, it can sometimes be a sign that a young person is struggling with anxiety, stress or another underlying concern. Dr Darshi says it is particularly important to seek professional help when the behaviour begins affecting a child's sleep, school performance, interpersonal relationships or mental health. Changes such as persistent anxiety, withdrawal from usual activities, significant sleep disruption, worsening academic performance or noticeable changes in mood should not simply be dismissed as a phase. A mental health professional can help determine whether excessive scrolling is simply a habit or part of a larger emotional or psychological problem.
Doomscrolling is not simply about spending too much time on a phone. For young people, repeatedly consuming distressing content can keep the brain in a heightened state of alertness and may be associated with anxiety, psychological distress, loneliness, depressive symptoms and difficulties with attention. The goal is not necessarily to eliminate technology from a child's life. Instead, young people need healthier boundaries around what they consume, when they consume it and how they respond to it. If scrolling regularly leaves a child anxious, affects their sleep or starts interfering with school, relationships or everyday life, it may be time to look beyond screen time and seek professional support. Sometimes, the most important question is not "How long have you been scrolling?" but "How do you feel after you stop?"
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.