Mental health is one of the biggest concerns since the start of the coronavirus pandemic due to the significant rise in mental disorders. According to the latest research, more and more people are developing issues including anxiety and depression due to the effects of the health crisis.
While there are a number of factors contributing to declining in mental health, one of them has particularly caught the attention of health experts – doomscrolling.
The term ”doomscrolling’ is used for constantly checking social media and online channels while particularly focusing on bad news following an event.
After coronavirus outbreaks started occurring at a global level last year, many people resorted to doing so for constant updates on the crisis.
According to health experts, this is a part of the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response to a threat. It is actually a much safer way to experience the ‘fight’ part and can also help in staying realistic or not becoming overly positive. However, it can also be harmful.
Because of the current situation, people are focusing solely on negative news constantly. In fact, many no longer expect the news to be positive.
Doing so can not only make a person check online for news consistently but also affect mental health. It can significantly increase stress levels as well as contribute to mental health disorders.
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Therefore, it also plays a fundamental role in the increase of mental issues in the past year. In order to reduce stress and manage mental issues, it is important to stop doomscrolling.
To do so, experts recommend a number of ways starting with switching off the television or changing from a news channel to another.
Choose only one or two reliable news outlets and avoid checking multiple sources at once. Also, set a time limit for checking the news. Make sure it is no more than two to three times per day.
Checking the news on random social media profiles is not recommended. Most of the time, news on social media is incorrect and biased. Reading and sharing it can add to the existent problem of the prevalence of disinformation on coronavirus.
Resist the urge to turn on the television or scroll down on social media by engaging in another activity such as reading a book or cooking. Doing so can effectively take the mind off the news.
Additionally, stop watching or reading the news immediately when having symptoms of chronic stress, anxiety, or panic attack such as dizziness, nausea, increase in heartbeat, inability to think, hyperventilation, and difficulty in breathing.
When feeling anxious, try talking to a friend or a relative and stay away from any stressful activity. If the problem worsens, seeking professional help can make a big difference.
It is important to keep stress levels low and prevent mental health issues as they can also lead to physical health issues including heart attack and cardiovascular disease.
Although there are multiple factors involved, avoiding doomscrolling can effectively cut down stress and prevent anxiety or depression episodes.
