DOOMSCROLLING IS A RABBIT HOLE YOU DON’T WANT TO GO DOWN

The short duration of videos, combined with infinite scrolling and autoplay features, often leads to prolonged screen time. Image credit: *CDC* on Unsplash.

By AAMINAH NAJMUS SAHAR

Entertainment is a crucial part of life; it helps us relax and unwind after a long day.

But while earlier, entertainment comprised spending time with friends and family, playing outside, spending time in nature, reading books, and watching movies, in this social media era, this has mostly been replaced with digital entertainment.

Short-form video clips like TikToks, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts have gained massive popularity recently, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns.

These platforms are highly engaging due to the algorithm-driven content, which continuously curates videos based on user preferences. The short duration of videos, combined with infinite scrolling and autoplay features, often leads to prolonged screen time.

As a result, people across all age groups – including children, adolescents, adults, and older individuals – now spend several hours daily on such content.

This pattern of excessive, compulsive scrolling through social media and short-form videos is commonly referred to as doomscrolling and can negatively affect physical, mental, emotional, and cognitive health, ultimately reducing overall quality of life.

Impact on physical health. Excessive screen time and prolonged scrolling can lead to several physical health issues.

These include neck and shoulder pain, eye strain, and dry eyes. Reduced physical activity associated with prolonged device use can contribute to a sedentary lifestyle, increasing the risk of obesity and other related chronic diseases.

Late-night doomscrolling can also disrupt sleep patterns. Exposure to blue light from screens may suppress melatonin production, leading to delayed sleep onset and poor sleep quality.

Impact on mental and emotional health. Short-form videos provide frequent, rapid bursts of dopamine, the brain’s reward neurotransmitter.

While dopamine plays a role in motivation and reinforcement, excessive stimulation from constant scrolling may contribute to dopamine overload. This, in turn, reduces motivation for long-term goals and tasks requiring sustained attention and effort. Additionally, the rapid shift between emotionally varied content, such as humorous, sad, happy, romantic, or distressing videos, does not allow sufficient time for emotional processing. Over time, this may contribute to emotional desensitization.

Doomscrolling can also negatively affect self-esteem due to frequent social comparison.

Users often compare their real lives with curated and idealized portrayals of others’ lives, which may contribute to anxiety and depression.

In addition, prolonged engagement with short-form content is associated with reduced memory retention, mental fatigue, and exhaustion. Many individuals report difficulty recalling content they have just viewed and a feeling of mental exhaustion and fatigue after prolonged watching of short-form content.

A major concern, which is very common, is the development of dependence and addiction to doomscrolling and short-form video content. Many users find it difficult to engage in activities that require sustained attention, such as reading a book, studying, listening to a lecture, or even watching a movie. Users usually take breaks for scrolling or watching short-form content consciously or as a habit during tasks requiring sustained attention.

Over time, this can lead to behavioral addiction.

This dependence and addiction need to be reduced gradually by reducing the time spent doomscrolling and replacing the urge to doomscroll with another activity like walking, reading a book, exercising, etc.

Impact on cognition. Doomscrolling can reduce attention span and impair the ability to engage in deep, focused work.

Algorithm-driven feeds and autoplay features minimize conscious decision-making, contributing to decision fatigue in other areas of life. Continuous exposure to fast-paced content may also reduce creativity, productivity, and impulse control. Over time, individuals may develop a preference for instant gratification, making slower, effortful cognitive tasks such as problem-solving, studying, or reading feel less rewarding.

This conditioning of the brain toward rapid stimulation can negatively affect long-term cognitive endurance and focus.

Other impacts. Doomscrolling can negatively impact relationships. Excessive phone use may reduce the quality of time spent with family and friends, limiting meaningful face-to-face communication.

In addition, doomscrolling and overconsumption of short-form video content can lead to the widespread circulation of misinformation, including AI-generated or misleading short videos, which can influence perceptions and beliefs.

This is particularly concerning for individuals who may have limited digital literacy, including older adults.

That said, it’s important to remember that despite its risks, social media is not inherently harmful or evil. When used mindfully, it can provide entertainment, relaxation, and emotional relief. It also serves as a platform for education, skills development, creative expression, livelihood opportunities for many individuals, and promotion for several businesses. Furthermore, social media can be a powerful tool for raising awareness about health issues, disease prevention, and broader social causes.

The negative impact of doomscrolling and short-form video consumption can be reduced through mindful usage strategies:

• Setting daily time limits for social media use.

• Using screen-time tracking or app limit tools.

• Avoiding aimless or habitual scrolling.

• Avoiding phone use during the first hour after waking and the last hour before sleep.

• Replacing scrolling habits with healthier alternatives, such as exercise, walking, reading, meditation, or outdoor activities.

Social media and short-form video content can be beneficial when used mindfully and intentionally for a short period of time, and for relaxation and entertainment.

Social media may appear to be free of cost, but there is a hidden cost to it that people pay with their health. Overconsumption and constant use can negatively impact health and well-being.

It is important to identify and address the risks associated with social media and short-form video content to maintain a healthy relationship with technology and to maintain overall health and well-being.

• Please consult your family physician before following any of the suggested remedies/steps above.

HEALTH FILE

DOOMSCROLLING IS A RABBIT HOLE YOU DON’T WANT TO GO DOWN