Doomscrolling
what it means
The defining internet habit of the 2020s. The compulsion is the point — doomscrolling isn't reading the news, it's being unable to stop.
Compulsively scrolling through bad news despite it making you feel worse.
the origin story
The word appeared on Twitter around 2018 and became widespread in 2020 during the pandemic's news cycle.
Merriam-Webster added it to its watch list in 2020 and it appeared in multiple word-of-the-year lists that year. It has since been used in genuine psychological research about news consumption and mood, which is unusual for a term coined on Twitter.
in the wild
It's 2am, why are you still up?
Doomscrolling. I can't stop.
I check the news first thing and it ruins my morning.
Classic doomscrolling loop.
how to use it
- Describing compulsive bad-news scrolling
- Talking about screen habits and mental health
- Self-aware conversation
- To dismiss someone staying informed about something that affects them
- About people following a crisis they're personally involved in
- As a joke to someone genuinely struggling
related terms
receipts
Community feedback
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