Why doomscrolling may be damaging your focus

Deryn Theone Hipe

For many young people, doomscrolling feels like a harmless way to unwind—a quick hit of information and instant gratification during moments of stress. But behind the entertainment and comfort it may give, this digital habit slowly rewires the brain, eroding attention spans and making sustained focus increasingly difficult.

According to neurologist and University of Santo Tomas (UST) faculty member Dr. Jojo Evangelista, doomscrolling—the act of binging disturbing content on social media—follows a “maladaptive pattern of information seeking” that can cause neurocognitive and emotional damage.

“When you say maladaptive, ibig sabihin despite knowing na pangit ‘yung effect niya sa’yo, na alam mo na ‘yung nababasa mo will have a negative impact sa’yo, ginagawa mo pa rin siya,” Evangelista said in an interview with the Varsitarian.

(When you say maladaptive, it means that, despite knowing of the negative effects or that what you are reading will have a negative effect on you, you still do it.)

Hardwired for headlines

In prehistoric times, humans evolved to pay close attention to potential threats as a matter of survival. In modern times, this can be equated to paying more attention to the bad news we see in the media. Studies reveal that negative experiences cause more activity in the brain than positive ones, particularly in areas handling memory and emotion.

“We are neurologically wired or evolutionally wired to pay more attention to the negative things or potential threats or something that is new,” Evangelista said.

When people consume negative media, the amygdala—the region of the brain that detects danger and regulates emotions—produces signals that increase our alertness and arouse our emotions. This results in a psychological tendency known as negativity bias, where we dwell more on bad experiences than positive ones.

“Our brains and bodies are expertly designed to handle short bursts of stress. But over the past several years, the stress just doesn’t seem to end. Doomscrolling is our response to that,” said Dr. Aditi Nerurkar, a lecturer at Harvard Medical School.

One scroll, many effects

Though it may be subtle at first, the effects of doomscrolling can shape one’s mind—and even overall lifestyle—over time.

A 2023 research review suggested that doomscrolling can worsen mental health and life satisfaction. A 2024 study strengthened these findings, linking the habit to higher levels of existential anxiety, the stress associated with confronting the limitations and uncertainties of life.

Beyond its emotional effects, doomscrolling may also impair attention and concentration. The constant stream of rapidly changing information conditions the brain to seek novelty, making slower, more demanding tasks such as studying, reading, or deep work feel less engaging by comparison.

Dr. Nerurkar said that this overstimulation can contribute to “popcorn brain.”

“It’s the real, biological phenomenon of feeling your brain is popping because you’re being overstimulated online. Then it’s hard to engage with the real world, which moves at a much slower pace,” she explained.

The consequences are not limited to the mind, however, as doomscrolling can also take a physical toll on the body.

“When people doomscroll for hours, they’re sedentary for a long time too,” Dr. Nerurkar added. “The ripple effects are vast and problematic.”

According to Harvard experts, doomscrolling can cause headaches, muscle tension, difficulty sleeping, and elevated blood pressure, among other health concerns.

Breaking the cycle

To avoid doomscrolling, Evangelista advised social media users to set screen time limits, filter accounts that constantly post disturbing content, and monitor their emotional state while browsing.

Doing offline activities, mindfulness practices, and even occasional digital detoxes in place of scrolling may also help combat doomscrolling.

Dr. Nerurkar and Dr. Richard Mollica, a fellow professor at Harvard Medical School, suggest approaches such as switching your phone to grayscale mode, disabling notifications, and focusing on positive, uplifting news.

Although doomscrolling may offer a momentary sense of comfort or control, experts warn that the habit can undermine the very focus and mental resilience needed to navigate an increasingly connected world.