Gazette October 2022 pg24 Final

Girgarre Gazette September pg 6
Don’t be a Doomscroller: How to Read the News and Not Feel Doomed
Computers and mobile devices help to increase knowledge of our community and can be lifesaving at times, but if
you’re reading an excessive amount of bad news that leaves you stressed or anxious, you might be doomscrolling
(don’t worry, it’s not as dramatic as it sounds).
In 2020, the Covid pandemic pushed society online and compelled us to stay informed. And it’s no coincidence that
in 2020 the word “Doomscrolling” entered The Macquarie Dictionary. Doomscrolling is defined as “The practice of
continuing to read news feeds online or on social media, despite the fact that the news is predominantly negative
and often upsetting”.
A 2015 study conducted by the Harvard Business Review found that people who watched three minutes of negative
news before starting their day were 27% more likely to report having an unhappy day than people who watched
three minutes of solution-based news.
Being drawn to negative news stories is part of a natural psychological phenomenon known as “negativity bias”.
Our brains prioritise things that can harm us; A useful habit in ancient times, but not so much in the modern. So,
what to do?
Avoid/minimise bad news. When sitting down to read the news, be deliberate. Set a timer, focus on stories that
make you feel empowered, not hopeless.
If you have a smartphone, have a look at “notifications” inside the settings of your phone and turn off news notifications.
Practice resilience. Seek out solutions-based, empowering news. Being optimistic is a skill that can be learned,
positive self-talk is a great start.
Being informed is a part of connecting to society, but healthy news consumption in modern times is a new skill we
are all having to learn.