In this episode, Jimmy and Psychologies Jamie Hagenbaugh explores the phenomenon of “doom scrolling” – endlessly scrolling through negative news and information online. They discuss why our brains seem drawn to negativity and bad news, even when we say we want more positivity. Reasons explored include negativity providing a definite “answer” compared to ambiguity, and bad news being more novel and activating more dopamine.
Practical tips to limit doom scrolling are provided, like setting a timer, being more mindful of what you actually want to get out of the information you’re viewing, and taking occasional “tech cleanses.” Overall, doom scrolling feeds anxiety and stress; putting some boundaries around it can help mitigate those effects.
