Scrolling Along

How many of you pick up your cell phone and immediately start scrolling through videos almost reflexively? I have to admit I do it if I’m waiting on something like cleaning or filling time before I need to go somewhere. Or just because. It is a hard habit to break for some and a time waster for a lot of people. There are even health web sites that will help you address the dangers of what is called doom scrolling. Here is what one of those sites, the Cleveland Clinic that tells us this:

Doomscrolling is when you spend a lot of time online consuming negative news. You may feel like you have to — like you just can’t tear yourself away from all the horrible headlines. While you doomscroll, you may also tell yourself that you’re just doing it to stay informed about what’s going on in the world. But there’s something deeper at play.

One doctor, Dr. Susan Albers, tells us why we do it:

“When we’re depressed, we often look for information that can confirm how we feel,” Dr. Albers shares. “Doomscrolling operates with the same mindset: If you’re feeling negative, then reading negative news only reconfirms how you feel.”

And once you do it a few times, it can easily become a habit, locking you into a loop of feeling bad and then reading the news to confirm that you should be feeling bad.

As I alluded to earlier, we can fall into doing it automatically:

“If you’re continuously scrolling, it becomes a mindless habit,” Dr. Albers adds. “A lot of times, you might not even be aware you’re doing it. But it becomes second nature: Once you have a spare moment, you pick up your phone and start scrolling without even really being aware of it.”

Albers links it to a condition many of us already know:

Although anyone can fall into the habit of doomscrolling, it can also be a function of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a mental health condition that causes you to perform repetitive behaviors.

“In this scenario, your brain continues to loop around on a particular topic, similar to endless scrolling,” Dr. Albers explains. “The behavior isn’t really about finding news; it’s about trying to reduce your anxiety.”

Why Is It Harmful?

The article then informs us of why doomscrolling can hurt us over time:

Doomscrolling can reinforce negative thoughts and a negative mindset, something that can greatly impact your mental health. Research has linked consuming negative news to an increase in depression and anxiety, as well as feelings of fear, stress and sadness.

They then give us what they believe are the dangers beginning with worsening issues one already has:

May worsen mental health issues. “If you’re prone to anxiety, depression or sadness, doomscrolling can be like stepping into quicksand,” Dr. Albers illustrates. “The negativity can pull you under quickly. It can even lead to panic attacks.”

And it can keep you up when you need to sleep:

May lead to insomnia. In one study, 70% of participants acknowledged checking social media from bed, and the more time they spent doing so, the more likely they were to have trouble falling asleep. “When you’re anxious, it’s hard to turn your mind off to go to sleep,” Dr. Albers points out.

Believe it or not it can drive you crazy:

Can contribute to “crazymaking.” This term describes situations that manipulate your perception of reality — or even your sense of your own sanity. When it comes to doomscrolling, it works like this: You see information from one media outlet that says one thing, but the very next source you scroll past gives completely conflicting information. “Your mind doesn’t know how to reconcile the two,” Dr. Albers says.

I think that last one is actually not as true as Albers feels when you consider how algorithms work, but I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt for now. The next problem is valid:

“Burying your nose in a phone can actually exacerbate feelings of disconnection and loneliness,” Dr. Albers relays. “Too much time on any media or social media sites, whether the news is bad or not, has been linked with feelings of depression.”

The last point is all too true though and might be the most dangerous one of all:

She explains that on a biological level, you’re feeding your brain a continual stream of cortisol, also known as the stress hormone. Over time, high levels of cortisol exhaust your brain and body, leading to inflammation that can cause a variety of mental and physical health issues.

Ironically, if you found this podcast by scrolling it could make things worse. But my intent is to stop the insanity, not perpetuate it.

It’s All Over Now

If you paid attention to the good doctor you picked up on a motif that threads its way through doomscrolling and that is the fear it engenders. Unfortunately getting caught up in all the doom and gloom is actually a popular way to get likes as a social influencer. And don’t be fooled by those platforms and how they work. The more eyes on the videos on their sites, the more ads they run and the more money the make as a result. They may not tell us how those algorithms actually work, but if you understand how the brain works you know that people are hopefully benignly getting you to behave in a way that keeps your attention for longer and longer amounts of time on their sites. I could take a very deep dive into that, but my point is what I heard in journalism and that if it bleeds it leads. Listen to your nightly news and notice how many things are of people getting hurt or killed. How bad things are for us whether it be people losing jobs or innocent people being taken advantage of by the unscrupulous are heard over and over again. We’re drawn to hearing those stories. But we are also more fearful of them happening to us. Fear is a strong motivator and it can dominate us and paralyze us so much that we are rendered impotent on so many levels. I like how a commentary from the Bible Hub tells us how fear can affect us if we let is:

The Israelite spies in Numbers 13:31-33 were dominated by a spirit of fear when they saw the size of their enemies and spread fear among the entire community. This highlights how allowing fear to eclipse trust in God’s promises can lead to disobedience and spiritual paralysis.

Want some good news? It just so happens that as Christians we can fight back on that fear.

Fighting Fear

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Tim 1:7, NKJV)

If you are fearful from doomscrolling or from just ingesting the daily news, the fear you’re feeling isn’t coming from God. And by the process of elimination we know who is behind it. In short the accuser of the brethren, Satan is doing his best to keep us bound by fear. But note that this fear is a spirit of fear and as such can be resisted and cast out of our lives. Paul is telling us that if we are seeing an increase of fear in our lives we need to fight back. Part of that battle is to rebuke the fear and give it no place in us. But we can’t just leave an empty place where fear lived, rather we need to have a spirit of love, power, and a sound mind. Going back to that commentary from the Bible Hub we get a step-by-step process to overcome this fear:

1. Relying on God’s Word

- Regular study of Scripture shapes a mindset rooted in truth. Passages such as Psalm 27 and Psalm 46 remind believers of God’s protection, cultivating courage and stability.

2. Prayer and Petition

- Philippians 4:6-7 counsels believers to “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition…present your requests to God.” This discipline of prayer shifts focus from problems to the power and faithfulness of God.

3. Confession of Truth

- Speaking out biblical truths-such as the promises in Romans 8:31 (“If God is for us, who can be against us?”)-strengthens resilience against irrational or disproportionate fears.

4. Power, Love, and Self-Control

- 2 Timothy 1:7 contrasts a spirit of fear with three attributes granted to believers:

- Power: the spiritual strength provided by the Holy Spirit for bold service.

- Love: the sacrificial love that casts out fear.

- Self-Control: discipline and sound thinking, aligning emotions with God’s truth.

5. Community Support

- Early believers drew strength from one another (Acts 2:42-47). Fellowship, prayer groups, and mutual encouragement remain key elements in conquering fear.

The commentary concludes with this summation:

A spirit of fear represents a deep-seated anxiety or dread that undermines confidence in God and hinders spiritual progress. Scripture addresses this destructive emotion by affirming God’s sovereignty, presence, and love. Rather than accepting this spirit, believers are called to embrace power, love, and self-control through the work of the Holy Spirit.

God’s Word consistently reassures those who face fear, reminding them that He is ever-present, faithful, and able to deliver. By drawing on biblical promises, prayer, fellowship, and an awareness of God’s ongoing work, believers can counter any spirit of fear and walk in faith, hope, and courage.

All of this will work, but I would be remiss if I didn’t give you the best advice for doomscrolling and that is to cut it off from your life. If you are scrolling do it with intention and only watch videos that are Biblical and encouraging. The more you do that the algorithm will start sending those kinds to you. Just as you need to train your mind, you need to train your social media intake.