You open TikTok or Instagram reels to “take a quick break” between classes. One video turns into five, then 10, then suddenly it’s been 40 minutes. Your brain feels fried, your to-do list is untouched, and instead of feeling relaxed, you’re somehow more anxious than before.
Congrats. You’ve been doomscrolling.
If this feels uncomfortably familiar, you’re not alone. Doomscrolling has become one of the biggest productivity and mental health drains for college students. And the worst part? Most of us don’t even realize it’s happening.
What Is Doomscrolling, Anyway?
Doomscrolling is the habit of endlessly consuming content online, usually for longer than intended. Think breaking news alerts, influencer drama, comment- section arguments, algorithm-fueled advertisements, or videos that leave you feeling emotionally drained instead of entertained. The content doesn’t always have to be negative, but the pattern is what matters: rapid, nonstop scrolling driven by algorithms designed to keep you hooked. Instead of feeling refreshed or entertained, you often become overstimulated.
While scrolling might feel harmless in the moment, it slowly drains your energy, focus, and motivation. It’s the reason you can spend an hour on your phone and still feel restless afterward.
If you’ve been feeling unproductive, distracted, or mentally exhausted lately, doomscrolling might be the reason. And no, that doesn’t mean you’re lazy.
Why Doomscrolling Is So Addictive
Here’s the truth no one likes to admit: social media apps are designed to keep us scrolling.
Algorithms prioritize content that sparks strong emotions such as excitement, fear, anger, or outrage, because those emotions keep our attention longer. The more intensely you react, the longer you stay, and the more ads you consume. When you find yourself refreshing your feed for “just one more video,” it’s not a lack of willpower. It’s the system doing exactly what it was built to do.
For college students juggling classes, jobs, internships, friendships, and stress, scrolling can feel like the easiest escape. It’s quick, accessible, and requires zero effort. But instead of helping us recharge, doomscrolling overstimulates our brains, making it harder to concentrate, stay motivated, or even relax afterward.
What makes it even more addictive is that it delivers quick dopamine hits. These are small bursts of pleasure every time we refresh, swipe, or see something new. Each post, like, and notification triggers a tiny reward response in the brain. The unpredictability of what we’ll see next keeps us hooked. We don’t know if the next swipe will bring something funny, shocking, relatable, or validating. That uncertainty reinforces the behavior, training our brains to keep scrolling in search of the next reward.
Over time, this pattern rewires our attention spans. Our brains become accustomed to constant stimulation and instant gratification, making slower, more effortful tasks like studying, reading, or even having deep conversations feel boring. Instead of truly resting, we’re feeding our nervous systems a rapid stream of information that keeps us mentally “on,” which can leave us feeling drained rather than refreshed.
Productivity Doesn’t Mean Deleting Every App
Let’s be clear: being productive does not mean deleting TikTok, waking up at 5 a.m., or suddenly becoming “that girl” with a perfectly curated morning routine.
Productivity is about control, not restriction.
One of the easiest changes you can make is shifting from passive scrolling to intentional consumption. Instead of opening an app out of habit, choose content that actually serves a purpose: a podcast while walking to class, an educational YouTube video (TED Talk), or a focus playlist while studying.
You don’t need to quit social media, but you do need to stop letting it decide how your time gets spent.
The “What Do I Actually Need?” Check-In
The next time you catch yourself doomscrolling, pause and ask one simple question:
What do I actually need right now?
Most of the time, scrolling is just a placeholder for something else. That can be stress, boredom, hunger, loneliness, or the need for a break. Your brain is asking for relief, not more information.
Instead of another scroll through bad news, try one of these quick swaps:
- Take a five-minute walk outside.
- Stretch or stand up and move your body.
- Grab water or a snack.
- Text a friend.
- Set a 10-minute timer to reset and refocus.
These small resets give your brain space to regulate, instead of piling on more stimulation.
Small Changes, Big Wins
Breaking the doomscrolling cycle doesn’t require a full digital detox. It starts with awareness and a few intentional boundaries:
- Set app time limits for distracting apps (consider using a screen time app, my favorite is Opal).
- Keep your phone off your desk while studying and while in class (consider putting it on Do Not Disturb).
- Replace scrolling breaks with movement, reading, or music.
- Unfollow accounts that leave you feeling drained.
Doomscrolling thrives on autopilot. The moment you become intentional, it loses its grip.
You deserve breaks that actually restore you, not ones that leave you more anxious, distracted, and overwhelmed. Real rest should calm your nervous system, not overload it. And while scrolling might feel like a pause, it often keeps your brain in a constant state of stimulation, making it harder to feel grounded afterward. Your time is valuable. Spend it in ways that make you feel better, not worse.