Do you ever find yourself reaching for your phone at night, promising to scroll just one last time before you sleep, only to realize that an hour has already passed? Or do you get lost watching Instagram Reels or a TikTok thread about a controversial issue, continuing even as your eyes sting and you lose awareness of the time?

If you answered yes to either, then you might be experiencing the phenomenon called “doomscrolling,” which is defined by the Cambridge Dictionary as the activity of compulsive and semi-addictive consumption of negative news and information, especially on social media and the internet.

Coined in 2020, doomscrolling pertains to the practice of overconsuming online content that leaves us tired, anxious, and restless — yet addicted. This is a habit that has become so common among the youth that it has become the norm.

But just because something is normalized does not mean it is safe or healthy. 

This might just feel like a harmless nightly scroll or a comforting form of escapism, but its impact on one’s physical and mental health outweighs the positives. In reality, it speaks loudly of how this generation copes with external factors, like stress or anxiety — seeking prolonged connection to the digital world, even at the cost of health and productivity.

Thus, a question looms: why do we keep doomscrolling, even when we know it is  bad for us?

For one, Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) is real. Beyond being internet slang that was sensationalized during the rise of social media in the early 2010s, FoMO was officially recognized as a word in 2013, being added to the OxFord English Dictionary.

Psychologists describe it as the innate need for social connection — the fear of feeling left out. People want to stay constantly updated out of fear that they will fall behind on information, whether it’s news, trends, issues, or even memes. The fear of feeling lost keeps our thumbs moving.

Another reason is that our brains crave novelty, which scrolling provides. Each new TikTok or viral video that passes our screens gives our brains quick dopamine hits, making us crave more. But this is not harmless.

A study from Tianjin Normal University in China found that bingeing short-form videos can overstimulate the brain’s reward centers and weaken impulse control, leading to poor focus and an insatiable desire to constantly be stimulated — all of which are similar to addiction. Over time, this can dull the brain’s dopamine sensitivity, making once-enjoyable activities feel bleak compared to the “quick dopamine hits” that doomscrolling provides.

According to Dr. Courtney Batt, an adolescent medicine expert, while endless scrolling often triggers stress, anxiety, or even depression, it also taps into the brain’s reward system, with each new post delivering a small dopamine boost that reinforces the urge to repeat the action.

This temporary dopamine boost tricks our brain into thinking that we have achieved something. This explains why so many of us cannot keep our eyes open for a 10-page reading late at night, yet somehow transform into night owls when scrolling through TikTok or Instagram Reels. Academic work does not give the same instant gratification as viral memes or online tea.

Modules feel like a chore; doomscrolling feels like a reward. 

That said, not everything is subjected to the user’s self-control or willpower. Partly, platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are designed to trap their users, with algorithms built for infinite scroll and autoplay of content.

TikTok’s algorithm-based “For You Page” or Instagram’s tailored content preferences all make sure that users are kept engaged to their liking, not to protect their peace of mind.

Doomscrolling can also give people an illusion of control. In a world full of uncertainty, where we are constantly faced with adversities in various aspects of life, it feels safer to know everything.

For students, this might mean constantly checking group chats or monitoring updates on class suspensions. For many Filipinos in general, it is keeping abreast of the things happening around us, especially regarding the government, the politicians in power, or the latest national scandals — hoping that being informed will somehow help them prepare for what’s ahead.

In essence, doomscrolling gives a false sense of predictability in this unpredictable life, tricking us into believing that constant awareness equals safety and security.

But all that scrolling has a cost. Physically, it encourages a sedentary lifestyle. Harvard  experts note the toll: stiff necks, disrupted sleep, headaches — a quiet tax we keep paying each night. Mentally, it robs us not only of our peace of mind but also undermines our emotional stability. With all the information we process, along with the exposure to curated, perfect lives or endless crises, this fuels stress and unhealthy comparisons.

A 2023 study published in Health Communications, surveying 1,000 participants, showed how participants who exhibited “severely problematic” news consumption reported significantly higher stress and worse physical health, as prolonged exposure to negative news made the world feel darker and more dangerous.

Further, a study published in the Journal of Computers in Human Behavior Reports involving 800 Iranian and American students, found that doomscrolling is linked to existential anxiety, distrust, suspicion, and despair — citing that constant exposure to negative news has become a “source of vicarious trauma,” where people internalize the suffering they consume online.

Compounding that, it hijacks our attention span. As a result of late-night binging for “just one more reel,” not only is our productivity jeopardized, but also our ability to function optimally.

The good news is: breaking the cycle does not mean throwing away your phone — it means being intentional with how you use it.

In a world where information never stops coming, what we can do is realign ourselves: setting clear boundaries and drawing a line between consuming and being consumed. The algorithm is designed to trap you in a loop of overflowing content.

The real question is: when will you pause? Staying informed empowers you, but doomscrolling drains you — and protecting your peace of mind is just as vital as knowing what is happening in the world.

After all, you can’t save the world if you can’t even sleep.

Justin Charles Roque is the managing editor of The Angelite for the Publication Year 2025-2026, and writes opinions under the column “Just In Time”

The views and opinion of the editor does not necessarily reflect those of the publication.