In a world where your thumbs can scroll farther in five minutes than your legs will walk all day, it is no wonder our mental health is showing signs of screen fatigue. While technology has revolutionized our access to information, community, and even therapy, it has also tethered us to an unrelenting feed of headlines, hot takes, and highlight reels.
This phenomenon, often called doomscrolling, refers to the compulsive consumption of negative news and online content, particularly during times of crisis. The term entered mainstream vocabulary during the early days of the COVID 19 pandemic, but its impact has far outlived the lockdowns.
According to a 2024 report from the Pew Research Center, over 71 percent of adults in the United States say they check their phones within 10 minutes of waking up. Among those aged 18 to 29, that number rises to 84 percent. More than half of adults report feeling overwhelmed by the volume of news and updates they receive daily. This is not just a productivity issue. It is a mental health one.
The American Psychological Association found that prolonged exposure to negative news cycles increases symptoms of anxiety, helplessness, and disrupted sleep. When the nervous system is repeatedly activated by alarming content, it begins to interpret a constant state of danger. From a therapeutic lens, this is a recipe for chronic dysregulation.
Let us put it simply. Your brain was not built for this much bad news before breakfast.
Digital detoxing does not mean abandoning your phone in the woods and joining a commune (unless that sounds appealing). It refers to intentional time bound breaks from digital consumption to allow your nervous system space to regulate, recalibrate, and rest. The goal is not perfection but presence.
From a neurobiological perspective, constant digital engagement activates the sympathetic nervous system, also known as the fight or flight response. Without adequate downtime, our systems do not return to a baseline of safety and calm. Over time, this contributes to fatigue, irritability, and even burnout.
Even small shifts can have a noticeable impact. Research from the University of Bath in 2022 found that just one week away from social media led to significant improvements in well being, anxiety, and depression scores among participants. A digital detox can be as simple as:
• Creating phone free zones or times of day (especially before bed)
• Turning off nonessential notifications
• Setting limits on news or social media apps
• Replacing scroll time with grounding rituals like reading, stretching, or time outdoors
In therapy, we often explore the nervous system’s role in mental health. One of the kindest things you can do for your nervous system is to give it a break from stimuli that were never meant to be processed all at once.
If your relationship with your phone feels more like a compulsion than a choice, that is not a personal failing. It is the result of careful design. Social platforms and news apps are engineered to hijack your attention. A digital detox is not about willpower. It is about returning to choice.
In the age of doomscrolling, stillness is radical. Rest is resistance. And logging off for a while? That just might be the most therapeutic thing you do today.
Looking for support in navigating digital fatigue, anxiety, or overwhelm? A licensed therapist can help you reconnect to yourself in a grounded, compassionate way.