Doomscrolling looks different across different age ranges and people with different experiences.
Doomscrolling is when a device user struggles to stop themselves from continuing to consume negative content, particularly news, online. The phenomenon became intensely studied around the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts say it leads to a number of negative effects, including increased anxiety and decreased productivity.
Allison Nguyen is an assistant professor in the Illinois State University Psychology Department. She researches and teaches about how people communicate online, including in political conversations.
“We live in a 24/7 news environment. We are constantly being bombarded with news stories, with current events, world events, things like that. And it's really hard to stay away from these things,” said Nguyen. “Negative news triggers strong emotions in us. And we know from previous research that this is something that makes us keep reading. It keeps us trapped in the news cycle, it makes us want to see more.”
Generational divides
Doomscrolling impacts all generations, but younger people are the most heavily impacted. A 2024 study showed about one-third of Americans reported experiencing doomscrolling, but that number was significantly higher for Gen Z at 53%, with millennials not far behind.
“When I'm doomscrolling, I feel like I get very distracted. I lose track of time, and I'm not able to really stop scrolling,” said Samantha Masino, an ISU freshman from Orland Park, a southeast Chicago suburb.
Young people are increasingly at-risk due to how they use their phones — a lot. Lilly Jeanes, an incoming ISU freshman who is also from Orland Park, uses her phone daily for apps like TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, FaceTime and text messaging. She said these apps help her connect with friends and family, but admits doomscrolling can affect her productivity.
“Not really during the day, like during the day it's something I use for a little bit of entertainment for five to 10 minutes. But at night, definitely, I find myself doomscrolling,” said Jeanes.
Those belonging to older generations often use their phones in different ways.
Paul Castellano, a Chicago resident who helped his son move into his freshman dorm during ISU move-in, uses his phone upwards of four hours each day.
“I don't own a computer, so everything I basically do is on my phone,” said Castellano.
Castellano is retired and said he uses his phone only in between daily tasks.
“In between tasks I'm on my phone constantly, but I'm so mission driven, when I do have a task, I do it,” said Castellano.
Brad Lucht, a pastor from Normal, also uses his phone but not for social media.
“I canceled all my accounts a couple years ago because they were taking up too much of my time. I didn't have good self-discipline, so I decided to just cut them all off,” said Lucht. “And my kids don't have social media, my wife doesn't, just as a family, we don't have any social media anymore.”
He said it has had a positive impact on his life.
“I am way more attentive with my family and the people that I'm with, way more willing to set up times to meet with people and just get out and do stuff. So it's way better,” said Lucht.
Lucht added he would encourage young people to stay away from social media, much like his kids have.
Jeanes may be open to the idea of putting personal limits on her phone usage, at some point.
“But as of right now, I don't see myself doing that, because I found a great balance between watching it and getting what I need to do done, and hanging out with people in real life and social experiences, and not just TikTok and my phone,” said Jeanes.
Lessening the effects of doomscrolling
Nguyen, the ISU professor, offered a few strategies for people to better their relationships with their phones.
One way is by checking in with your own emotions — by asking whether the media being engaged with is making you feel angry or sad. Another strategy is to keep better track of time and limit your scrolling. Lastly, broadening what news you consume is also helpful, said Nguyen.
“‘Am I only looking at negative news? Am I also looking at positive news? Am I looking at global news? Am I looking at local news? Am I looking at news sources from across different spectrums and different political opinions?'" said Nguyen.
Nguyen added that when a social media app is free, it still comes at a cost to the consumer.
“The algorithms are really designed on these things to keep you on the apps, because the more you engage, the more data they collect on you,” said Nguyen. “And that’s stuff they can sell. So it's really profitable to do this sort of thing.”
