Psychologists define doomscrolling as “the compulsive act of endlessly scrolling through negative or distressing news on social media, often leading to heightened anxiety or stress…” This is by design to capture and keep our attention, and “attacks us where we’re most vulnerable by taking advantage of our innate need to scan our environment for threats.” In an attempt to counter doomscrolling, Jennifer Mercieca, professor of communication and journalism, created hopescroll – looking for positive news. “Intentionally reading solutions journalism inspired my students to become better critical thinkers about the media content they consume and gave them hope that solutions to our problems are possible.” Other suggestions include being intentional on how you spend your time online, setting limits on your media time, and subscribing to non-outrage-based news and solutions-based journalism.
