None of us are strangers to the depths of an endless social media scroll. The tantalizing itch to spend just five more minutes flicking with our thumbs, consuming short clip after short clip, or reading meme after meme, and tweet after tweet. We know we have other things to be doing, tasks to address or hobbies to engage with, yet we allow ourselves to keep watching. So why do we do it? We know we’ll feel terrible after, but our social media apps dig their claws in deeper, enveloping us in the black hole of content.
In this article I will explore the science behind scrolling paralysis, including an especially heinous branch – doomscrolling. I will be looking into why we do it, how it affects us, and whether it is particularly a problem for those who are neurodivergent. Beyond this, I will discuss some ways in which we can tackle scrolling paralysis and minimise its effects.
So, what is doomscrolling/scroll paralysis? Whilst both terms are often heard in conjunction, doomscrolling can be considered a specific branch of scrolling paralysis. Scrolling paralysis is the act of constantly scrolling through social media feeds, news articles, or any online content without a clear purpose or end in sight – it is mindless consumption, yet it feels like an unbreakable trance. Unsurprisingly, this impacts a substantial percentage of the population, as according to Statista, as of January 2023, the UK was home to 57.1 million active social media users; 85% of the population. Furthermore, as of 2022, UK users spend an average of 4 hours and 14 minutes per day solely using their mobile devices, with the global average posted even higher at 6 hours and 58 minutes. When researching the psychological aspect of scrolling paralysis, it becomes evident that it is a trait largely associated with ADHD, and other kinds of neurodivergence. In an age where everyone is becoming increasingly prone to spending more time in the abysses of TikTok and Instagram, I wanted to assess this correlation; but we will return to this later.
If scrolling paralysis is the endless engagement with online content, what is doomscrolling? Doomscrolling is the idea of spending an excessive amount of time reading copious quantities of negative news online – whether that is via news outlets, Instagram videos, or TikTok videos documenting global conflicts and the decline of the Earth’s climate. The origin of this idea can interestingly be traced to a phenomenon from the 1970s – particularly in the West. It is referred to as “mean world syndrome” – believing that the world is a more dangerous place to live in because of long-term exposure to violence-related content on TV. As owning televisions gradually became more common through the 20th century, events such as the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and other global issues were being witnessed on a scale never seen before. The people of prior centuries only needed to worry about their community and their country – “Will there be another plague?” “Will I be submitted to trial by combat?”, “Is there going to be yet another civil war?” – undoubtedly all pressing problems. However, in the age of technology, we are exposed to negative news in a quantity we have never seen the likes of before. You can witness live warzone footage before getting out of bed in the morning. When we think about it objectively, it sounds utterly terrifying; so why do we do it? One reason is that it creates an oddly soothing effect – we can view horrifying events from the comfort of our own homes. Another reason, according to Pamela Rutledge, the director of the Media Psychology Research Centre, is that doomscrolling “describes the compulsive need to try and get answers when we’re afraid.”
If doomscrolling is an attempt to comfort ourselves as the world burns outside our windows, what causes the incessant scrolling that we use to distract ourselves? Throughout the day, our brains are constantly in search of dopamine. Known as the “feel-good” hormone, it is a neurotransmitter involved in motivating behaviour, mood, and cognitive function. There are numerous ways of increasing our dopamine levels – for example, exercise, eating our favourite foods, and participating in a hobby we enjoy. However, as individuals become more burnt out in their daily lives, there is one endless, dopamine-rich source that is constantly within reach: social media. When we watch a short clip or see a post about something we find entertaining, the brain’s reward centre releases a short burst of dopamine. As it is only a minute amount, social media’s reinforcing nature encourages us to continue to scroll, causing us to get stuck in an endless loop of quick release dopamine. This is much more accessible in a modern age than other, more time-consuming tasks we enjoy, and so it gradually becomes our default source of this “feel good” hormone.
Think about it, have you ever wanted to paint, or read a book you’ve had your eye on for ages, but instead spent several hours on TikTok, and never actually got around to it?
If the answer is yes, as it will be for many of us, don’t feel ashamed! As it seems, many of us younger people don’t think twice about our social media consumption or our screen time; it is simply what we are used to!
As previously mentioned, I wanted to discover whether this affected everyone who was raised with the constant presence of social media and technology, or whether it was particularly potent for neurodivergent individuals. According to the National Library of Medicine (primarily referencing the work of Kenneth Blum), individuals with ADHD have at least one defective gene, DRD2, meaning there is inadequate dopaminergic activity in their brain’s rewards centres, which encourages them to engage in activities that will increase their dopamine function (Blum, 1996). The short-term gratification supplied by social media is a perfect resource to satiate these increased reward-seeking tendencies. However, for individuals with autism, doomscrolling is argued to be more of a potent evil. According to Goally – an online publication aimed to help neurodivergent individuals or the parents of neurodivergent children – rather than providing constant stimulation, the constant intake of upsetting news and content online can increase anxiety and the risk of sensory overload.
To see the effects of this in everyday life, I decided to conduct an experiment with some of my friends – 4 of whom are neurodivergent (ND), the other four neurotypical (NT – meaning they do not have ADHD, autism, or any other kind of neurodivergence). I asked each of them their daily average screen time, their most used app, and the average daily screen time for said app. For the ND group, the average daily screen time amounted to 5 hours and 34 minutes a day, whereas for the NT group it amounted to 4 hours and 45 minutes a day. As seen, there is not a massive difference in daily screen time, suggesting phones are simply a predominant feature in everybody’s daily lives. There was a direct split of most used app between Instagram and Snapchat, with Instagram averaging 2 hours and 16 minutes a day across both groups, yet Snapchat only 1 hour and 27 minutes. When compared to the UK average of 4 hours and 14 minutes a day on mobile phones, this doesn’t seem particularly concerning. I decided to investigate deeper and ask each of my friends if they feel prone to scrolling paralysis, and how it makes them feel. Whilst every participant in the ND group answered extremely negatively, only one individual in the NT group had a similar response, with the other three suggesting that they were able to easily engage with other tasks. I have included some of the responses below, to share a personal angle of scrolling paralysis, beyond simple statistics:
ND group, A: “It makes me feel numb, and gets to the point where I’m not even taking in the content, it’s just a loop. It feels like the only thing you can do to conserve energy, as it’s not too taxing.”
ND group, B: “Once I start, I can’t stop.” “You know in your head you need to stop it, but you can’t, it’s almost involuntary – you know you need to get up.”
ND group, C: “It makes me feel lethargic and groggy. In an ideal world it wouldn’t be an issue, but it’s one I can’t escape.” “It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy – hate it, delete TikTok, to scratch the itch for attention redownload, feel terrible, delete – it keeps going.”
NT group, A: “It feels like I’m wasting my life.”
We can see a clear pattern emerging, particularly in neurodivergent individuals. Scrolling paralysis, especially when we are viewing upsetting content, has an extremely negative effect on our mental health. It makes us feel numb, lethargic, and takes over our daily lives, yet it seems impossible to kick the habit. So, what can we do?
Many people have recently decided to take the plunge and delete social media, or remove themselves for a period to detox, to benefit their mental health and wellbeing. Youtuber Rachel Stark made a video speaking about her experience deleting social media after 10 years, stating that it “changed her life”, and was one of the best decisions she had ever made. Her video is honest and enlightening, I recommend you check it out. Here are some of the key positives that she notes:
- Falling in love with old hobbies and making time for new ones that you didn’t have the time or patience for before.
If you have been daydreaming about something, for example learning how to crochet, put your phone down and give it a go! Stark states that putting distance between herself and the constant engagement with social media allowed her to develop patience for “longer” tasks – ones that may take up to maybe 45 minutes of your time. Whilst this might seem like a lot, reducing the time spent on consuming extremely short content videos will make fitting a hobby in feel much more manageable.
- It helps you stop comparing yourself and yearning for validation from others.
On social media, we see 1000s of perfectly curated lives and images a day and likes and comments have become almost transactional; a business deal affirming your worth and appearance. By removing this element of daily life, we can be kinder with ourselves, as comparison is the thief of joy.
- Formation of deeper friendships – friendships are maintained via prolonged conversations and making plans, rather than just snap streaks or responding to Instagram stories.
In her article, ‘How Friendships Change in Adulthood,’ Julie Beck outlines 3 kinds of friendship: active, dormant, and commemorative. Active: where you talk and see each other regularly, dormant: you have some kind of shared history but no longer see each other – although you could reach out to them at any time if wanted, and commemorative: you no longer talk or see each other, but they were important to you in an era of your life, and so you consider them a friend. In the age of social media, we can maintain all 3 of these friendships simultaneously, in just a much shallower fashion. Beck gives the example of having a childhood friend, who you have not seen or contacted for numerous years, on Facebook; “in the current era of mediated relationships, those relationships never have to time out.” (Beck, 2015) Social media, as explained, diminishes our need to put any actual effort into friendships, we can simply maintain them via the click of a button. By deleting our social media presence, we are forced to develop deeper, more meaningful bonds.
If cutting out social media entirely isn’t for you, simply try to set some boundaries between you and your phone – take a moment to recharge from your respite with some longer-lasting dopamine inducing activities. This article isn’t written with the purpose of offending those who love to actively use social media – you are free to do so! If social media is your thing, then that is okay; enjoy all the technology the 21st century has to offer!
However, for those of us who have been wondering if we can ever escape the endless pit of social media, the answer is yes, we absolutely can. Scroll paralysis and doomscrolling can have intensely negative effects in many of our lives, so by putting the phone down, deleting the apps, and spending time meaningfully with ourselves and others, we can fight back against the claws of scrolling paralysis and see what else life has to offer.
Writer: Eve Brown
Editor: Raahat Lakdawala