What Is Doomscrolling? Here's How Using Your Phone Continuously Affects Your Health

Doomscrolling refers to the habit of continuously consuming negative news or distressing content online, often for prolonged periods. It is considered unhealthy because it fuels anxiety, stress, and a pessimistic outlook on life. Constant exposure to negative news activates the brain's fight-or-flight response, increasing cortisol levels and leading to chronic stress. This habit can also disrupt sleep, lower productivity, and contribute to mental health disorders like depression. Additionally, excessive screen time strains the eyes, affects posture, and reduces real-world social interactions, making it essential to practice mindful media consumption. Keep reading as we discuss in detail the negative effects of doomscrolling on your health.

10 Ways in which doomscrolling & using your phone extensively can affect health

1. Increases stress and anxiety

Constant exposure to negative news triggers stress hormones like cortisol, making you feel overwhelmed, anxious, and emotionally drained. This can lead to chronic stress, which affects overall mental and physical health.

2. Leads to sleep disturbances

Spending excessive time on the phone, especially before bed, disrupts melatonin production due to blue light exposure. This leads to difficulty falling asleep, poor sleep quality, and an increased risk of insomnia.

3. Causes eye strain and headaches

Staring at a phone screen for long hours leads to digital eye strain, causing dry eyes, headaches, and blurred vision. The constant exposure to bright screens can also lead to light sensitivity over time.

Also read: Excessive Mobile Use Linked To Depression In Teens: AIIMS Bhopal Study

4. Negatively impacts mental health

Doomscrolling amplifies feelings of fear, helplessness, and depression. Repeated exposure to distressing news can make individuals feel stuck in a cycle of negativity, reducing their ability to cope with everyday stress.

5. Reduces productivity and focus

Constant phone use distracts the brain, making it harder to concentrate on tasks. This reduces productivity at work or school and can even affect personal relationships due to a lack of presence in real-life conversations.

6. Increases risk of sedentary lifestyle

Extended screen time encourages prolonged sitting, reducing physical activity levels. A sedentary lifestyle is linked to health issues like obesity, poor cardiovascular health, and weakened muscles.

7. Causes neck pain

Looking down at a phone for long periods strains the neck and back muscles, leading to "tech neck." This can cause chronic pain, poor posture, and long-term spinal issues.

8. Weakens real-world social connections

Excessive phone use can lead to social isolation, reducing face-to-face interactions with family and friends. Over time, this can impact emotional well-being and contribute to feelings of loneliness.

9. Increases the risk of depression

Research suggests that excessive screen time, especially scrolling through negative content, can increase the risk of depression. It promotes feelings of comparison, hopelessness, and emotional exhaustion.

10. Impairs decision-making abilities

Doomscrolling floods the brain with excessive, often conflicting, information, making it harder to process facts logically. This can lead to irrational fears, overreactions, and poor decision-making in daily life.

Limiting screen time, practicing mindful scrolling, and taking digital detox breaks can help protect mental and physical well-being from the harmful effects of doomscrolling and excessive phone use.

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.