doomscrolling
Doomscrolling is repeatedly checking or scrolling through upsetting news online, even when continuing feels unpleasant.1
How “doomscrolling” is used
- Tone
- Informal; used in discussions of online habits.
- Where you’ll see it
- The word focuses on a cycle of looking for more negative updates. It is more specific than spending a long time on a phone or scrolling through a feed for entertainment.
Examples
- I opened the news for five minutes and ended up doomscrolling until midnight.
- She put her phone in another room to interrupt the doomscrolling.
Examples are written for this site to show typical use. They are not quotes.
Usage notes
- It describes an online habit rather than a medical diagnosis.
- Ordinary scrolling is not necessarily doomscrolling; the negative-news focus is important.
Origin
Origin not verified.
Related
Sources
- Doomscrolling — Dictionary.com (opens in a new tab)
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/doomscrolling
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