The consequences on mental and emotional health of this phenomenon are beginning to be well documented, as Professor Craig N. Sawchuk, professor of psychology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester (United States), confirms. “Doomscrolling affects mental and emotional health by initiating and amplifying negative emotional states such as depression, anxiety, anger, disgust, etc. “. The explanation: “The brain automatically tends to pay attention to threat and novelty. Which is exactly what social networks offer…”. In his eyes, the first steps often appear to be paved with good intentions: “we simply want to keep up to date with current events, entertainment, influences etc., according to our own interests”.
The relationship with time…
This content, powered by social media algorithms, aims to keep our brain “awake for an extended period”. Craig N. Sawchuk, adds: “The longer we are exposed to this negative content, the more our mood can decline. We can thus feel emotionally depressed, anxious, irritated, tense, worried. Not to mention that this time spent harms the practice of other activities that he describes as more “healthy” for our body and our mental health: such as chatting with loved ones, participating in a game, walking in the open air or simply sleep.
How to get out?
The psychologist insists: “it is important to be aware of how it all works”, to better prevent harmful effects. So, before launching on social networks, he recommends “carrying out a brief assessment of your current mood: 0 = negative, 5 = neutral, 10 = positive”. Then repeat this situation after 15 minutes of doomscrolling – by setting a timer… Do you notice after a certain time that your mood declines? “Change the content by switching to something lighter or… close the application and switch to a positive activity: call a friend, go out…” recommends Professor Sawchuk.
Ask yourself…
And to know how your state of mind is changing, it’s very simple, according to him: “ask yourself if you feel better or worse after spending time scrolling.” And also, “sometimes take a little height to see if you have recently stopped or slowed down activities, such as practicing physical activity for example”. If necessary, also ask those close to you what they think. And to conclude: “the objective is to give ourselves a little space to be able to make changes likely to improve our mood and our functioning”.
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