Alright, you ever just find yourself stuck, scrolling through your phone, eyes all glazed over, just soaking in all the rubbish news and negativity? Like, you know it’s making you feel a bit rubbish, but you just can’t seem to stop? Yeah, that’s doomscrolling, mate. And let me tell you, from a proper Gen X point of view, it’s a right peculiar thing we’ve all gotten ourselves into, isn’t it? XAXAXA
Before the Endless Scroll…
Back in my day, if you wanted to know what was going on in the world, you had to wait for the evening news or pick up a newspaper. You got your dose of grimness, maybe had a good moan, and then you just got on with your day. There wasn’t this endless, instant feed of every single disaster, argument, and conspiracy theory from every corner of the planet. It was simpler, eh? We actually had to go to the bad news; it didn’t just chase us down and shove itself in our faces.
The Digital Black Hole π³οΈ
Now? It’s like our phones have become these little black holes, proper sucking us in with every fresh alert and trending topic. You start off just checking the weather, then suddenly you’re three hours deep into a rabbit hole of climate change reports, political rows, or the latest celebrity kerfuffle. And the worst bit? It’s usually not even good news. It’s the doom and gloom that seems to keep us hooked.
Why do we do it? I reckon part of it is just pure human curiosity, that urge to stay informed. But it’s more than that, isn’t it? It’s almost like a weird compulsion. The algorithms on these apps are proper clever, mind. They know what gets our attention, what sparks a reaction, and often, that’s the stuff that makes us feel a bit anxious or even angry. It’s like they’ve figured out how to keep us perpetually on edge, just enough to keep us scrolling for that next hit of information, even if it’s painful.
Give Your Brain a Breather! π§
It’s not just about feeling a bit down in the dumps either. All this constant negativity and information overload is probably doing a number on our brains. Our Gen X brains weren’t built for this relentless onslaught, you know? It messes with our sleep, makes us more stressed, and honestly, can make the real world feel a lot worse than it actually is. It’s like we’re constantly on high alert, even when we’re just sitting on the sofa in our pyjamas.
So, what’s a slacker to do? I’m no expert, but I’ve been trying to give my brain a bit of a breather. Maybe set some timers for social media, or even just leaving the phone in another room for a bit. It feels weird at first, like you’re missing out on something major, but honestly, the world keeps spinning even if you’re not seeing every single headline immediately. Give it a go; your head might thank you for it. We’ve got to wrestle back a bit of control from these clever little devices, eh? XAXAXA
Final Thoughts
So, this doomscrolling thing, it’s a real piece of work, isn’t it? It’s easy to fall into, especially when the world seems to be throwing everything but the kitchen sink at us. But just like knowing when to walk away from that last slice of pizza, sometimes you just need to put the phone down and give your head a break. Find something else to do β maybe listen to some proper old-school metal, eh? Your mental health will thank you for it. Stay smart, stay curious, but don’t let the algorithms drag you into their black hole! XAXAXA
References
- “Doomscrolling: Why Canβt We Stop?” – Psychology Today
- “The Negative Effects of Doomscrolling” – Verywell Mind
- “Doomscrolling through Climate Change” – M Hau