Context: Doctors have warned that doomscrolling — the habit of continuously consuming negative news online — is altering brain functions, increasing anxiety, and affecting focus and decision-making among young professionals.
About Doomscrolling:
- What it is: Doomscrolling means endlessly scrolling through bad or distressing news on phones or social media, even when it causes stress.
- How it works: Each shocking headline triggers a small dopamine release, similar to gambling rewards. This keeps the brain trapped in a loop of checking for the next update.
- Brain areas affected:
- Amygdala becomes overactive, heightening fear and anxiety.
- Prefrontal cortex weakens, reducing self-control and clear thinking.
- Hippocampus struggles with memory and emotional balance.
- Why we do it: The human brain has a negativity bias—it pays more attention to threats. Combined with FOMO (fear of missing out), this makes people scroll for reassurance or control.
Impacts:
- Mental health: Leads to anxiety, stress, mood swings, and even depression.
- Cognitive effects: Weakens concentration, memory, and rational decision-making.
- Work and productivity: Causes fatigue, poor focus, and emotional burnout.
- Physical health: Disrupts sleep cycles and increases cortisol, the stress hormone.
Relevance in UPSC Syllabus:
- GS-IV (Ethics): Relates to emotional intelligence, self-management, and ethical use of technology.
- GS-II (Governance): Highlights the role of media responsibility and information ethics.
- Essay Paper: Useful for topics on information overload, technology and human well-being, or emotional resilience
