FIND CARE NOW AT THIS IS HENDRICKS DOT ORG
HADN'T BEFORE. A SOURCE OF
FRIENDSHIP, NEWS, A LAUGH, OR
TO SHARE THEIR SOMETIMES
STRONGLY HELD OPINIONS. THAT
CAUSES DEBATE... AND A NEW
TERM CALLED "DOOMSCROLLING."
DOESN'T SOUND GREAT.. I-U
HEALTH CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST
DR. DANIELLE HENDERSON JOINS
US THIS MORNING TO EXPLAIN
WHAT IT IS. 1) EXPLAIN WHAT
DOOMSCROLLING IS AND HOW IT
CAN IMPACT OUR MENTAL HEALTH?
--- THE HABIT OF
"DOOMSCROLLING" INVOLVES NON-
STOP ONLINE SURFING THROUGH
NEGATIVE NEWS AND SOCIAL MEDIA
WITH THE TENDENCY TO CONTINUE
TO SURF OR SCROLL THROUGH BAD
NEWS, EVEN THOUGH THAT NEWS IS
SADDENING, DISHEARTENING, OR
DEPRESSING. --- MANY PEOPLE
ARE FINDING THEMSELVES READING
CONTINUOUSLY BAD NEWS (E.G.,
ABOUT COVID-19, POLITICS)
WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO STOP OR
STEP BACK. --- PEOPLE WHO DO A
LOT OF DOOM SCROLLING OFTEN
LOOK LIKE A DEPRESSED PERSON.
--- YOU HAVE TROUBLE SLEEPING,
YOU MAY LOSE YOUR APPETITE.
YOU WILL HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH
RELATIONSHIPS. ---
DOOMSCROLLING TRAPS US IN A
"VICIOUS CYCLE OF NEGATIVITY"
THAT FUELS OUR ANXIETY. ---
OUR MINDS ARE WIRED TO LOOK
OUT FOR THREATS. ---THE MORE
TIME WE SPEND SCROLLING, THE
MORE WE FIND THOSE DANGERS,
THE MORE WE GET SUCKED INTO
THEM, THE MORE ANXIOUS WE GET.
--- THAT GRIM CONTENT CAN THEN
THROW A DARK FILTER HOW YOU
SEE THE WORLD. --- IS IT
BENEFICIAL TO DO A "DIGITAL
DETOX" OR DELETE THAT SOCIAL
MEDIA APP ON YOUR PHONE?
---WHAT ARE SOME TIPS THAT CAN
HELP US PROTECT OUR MENTA
HEALTH WHEN USING SOCIAL
MEDIA? 2) IT CAN ABSOLUTELY BE
BENEFICIAL TO TAKE A STEP BACK
FROM SOCIAL MEDIA. SOME OTHER
TIPS INCLUDE: ---SET A TIMER
---REMBER WHY YOU ARE
LOOKING AT YOUR PHONE IN THE
FIRST PLACE ---SWAP 'VICIOUS
CYCLES' FOR 'VIRTUOUS CYCLES'
---AVOID CATASTROPHIZING
---THOUGHT STOPPING