the doomscrolling can reveal valuable clues about your condition and even be harmful to your mental health in the long run.
What is doomscrolling?
It’s a habit we all have. Consult the news on your phone screen has become a generalized reflex. Especially in recent years with the health crisis or before during the tragic periods of attacks. Moreover, this habit was designated by the English term doomscrolling which emerged on the social network Twitter in 2018. During confinement, the need for information was accentuated, and sometimes became a habit bordering on frenzy . At the origin of this thirst for information, concerns about the future concerning the coronavirus epidemic and its consequences. Doomscrolling involves not only scrolling the news feed, but also lingering over pictures and customer reviews. “This habit implies that there is no end to this process. We scroll, we swallow information in quantity, without limits. The Internet user who acts in this way thinks that if he stops, he will miss essential information“, analyzes Michaël Stora.
Nocturnal awakenings, morning anxiety …
And this unlimited consumption is not without consequences on our health. In the first place, it causes sleep disturbances. An anxiety-provoking news that one consults in bed necessarily alters the quality of the night. We will suffer from insomnia, difficulty falling asleep, we will be more prone to nocturnal awakenings. You can also wake up in the morning feeling anxious. However, good sleep remains a pillar of health just like diet or physical activity. “Consulting the news feeds before going to bed keeps the brain alert. It’s hard to fall asleep under these conditions”, alert the specialist.
Depressive and anxiety disorders
Doomscrolling also promotes anxiety and feelings of loneliness. Indeed, by dint of concentrating on a screen, we can forget those around you and withdraw into yourself. And the more we read dramatic or tragic information, the more we project ourselves and develop the idea that it could happen to us. The negative effects on concentration should not be overlooked. Gathering a lot of information all the time makes us much more distracted and reluctant to pay attention to other things for a long period of time.
“In some cases, doomscrolling can reveal the existence of a hidden depression. Particularly for people who love to read news items,” specifies the psychoanalyst.
Can doomscrolling be treated?
So many elements that make it essential to study the question and try to put a stop to this habit. For this, there is no miracle cure. First, you have to be aware of the phenomenon to assess the time you spend there. Once this inventory has been carried out, a detoxification cure is required. We imposes a time limit and we determine the times of the day we will devote to it: not before going to bed for example. Finally, last reflex, we find occupations so as not to fuel temptations. If you’re bored in transport, you download a good novel on an e-reader, for example. One track among many others to explore to avoid the risk of altering his mental health in the long run.
Thanks to Michaël Stora author of “Hyperconnexion”, published by Larousse editions.
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