Have You Ever Heard of the Word Doomscrolling?
I hadn’t. Nicole Nguyen of the Wall Street Journal also calls it doomsurfing. According to Nicole, the word doomscrolling has been around since 2018. Still, Merriam-Webster just added “doomscrolling” to its “Words We’re Watching” this year.
According to Nicole, doomscrolling means spending inordinate amounts of time on devices poring over grim news—and not being able to stop. Nicole says it is hard to look away. You get sucked into all the news sources and social media sites, and it’s hard to turn off. The constant stream of information and social media never ends. According to Wired Magazine, it is eroding your mental health. And I agree.
It’s Draining!
I have always said that the news is draining. If you are all in, getting information from the TV, Radio, smartphone, computer, and not able to turn off, you are hurting yourself. They say if it bleeds, it leads, and during these chaotic times, most news is either negative or disturbing, and this can have a significant impact on your psyche. Getting sucked in can affect your mental and physical well-being as it is draining your energy. When you feel drained, it is hard to feel uplifted or good.
Turn it off!
My simple advice is to turn it off! Choose what news you read and limit it to times during the day where it won’t upset your day or affect your sleep. I pick up headlines online first thing in the morning and only choose to read what is immediately applicable to me or necessary to know. I NEVER watch the news on TV as it is so repetitive and harmful to my psyche. I don’t listen to talk radio unless it is uplifting and tend to choose uplifting shows when I do watch TV. I am rarely on social media anymore, usually only to post positive things. I never look at the news before bed, and I haven’t become a doomscroller. The good news is, it is a choice. You don’t have to be a doomscroller by decided to change your habits.
What Choice Will You Make?
The news and chaos in the world do not drag me down. I am knowledgeable and informed but it doesn’t control me or deplete me. I spend my time doing things that make me happy and fill me up. And in return, I feel positive, light, and upbeat most days!. You can do the same! Check out my blog article on Turning off the News!
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