In Lebanon, where each day brings its share of political, economic, or security uncertainties, the need to stay informed has become almost instinctive. But this perfectly legitimate necessity has given rise to an increasingly common habit: doom-scrolling, the endless consumption of negative news on social media.

This seemingly trivial behavior is now widely studied by international medical institutions. And their conclusions converge: doom-scrolling drains mental energy, heightens anxiety, and distorts our perception of the world.

A Phenomenon Under Expert Scrutiny

The term doom-scrolling entered media vocabulary during the pandemic.

Mayo Clinic Press (2024) describes it as “a compulsive consumption of anxiety-inducing content, triggering high stress levels and a constant sense of threat.” In other words, the more stressful the information we read, the more the brain remains in “alert mode.”

Harvard Medical School (2023), in its report The Psychological and Physical Dangers of Doomscrolling, explains that prolonged exposure to bad news activates the brain regions responsible for fear. This mechanism, originally designed to protect us, becomes harmful when it is constantly stimulated: it leads to anxiety, irritability, mental fatigue, and even muscle tension.

More recently, a large study conducted by Professor Mary Tate (2024), published in Technology, Mind and Behavior, surveyed 800 people in the United States and Iran. Its findings show that doom-scrolling encourages a state of distrust, existential stress, and discouragement about the future, even among individuals with no direct connection to the events they read about.

Impacts That Go Beyond Mental Health

A Driver of Anxiety

Mayo Clinic and Harvard emphasize that repeated exposure to negative information pushes the brain to release cortisol, the stress hormone. The result: an inner tension that often leads us… to keep scrolling.

An Enemy of Sleep

A study by A. Sharma (IJFMR, 2025) shows that checking social media before going to sleep increases mental activity, slows melatonin release, and disrupts falling asleep.

Many Lebanese admit to “taking one last look” at the news before bed, a simple gesture with heavy consequences for sleep quality.

Isolation and Physical Fatigue

Harvard also notes that doom-scrolling increases sedentary time, neck and back tension, and reduces the desire to interact with others.

The more we scroll, the more we disconnect from the real world often without realizing it.

The Lebanese Context: Fertile Ground for Doom-Scrolling

Lebanon lives to the rhythm of successive crises. Port explosion, currency fluctuations, shortages, security incidents, political uncertainty… Lebanese people check their phones not only to stay informed, but also to anticipate anything that could affect their daily lives.

The Arab Social Media Report (2023) reveals that 78% of young Lebanese rely primarily on social media for news, making them more exposed to a constant stream of anxiety-provoking content, verified or not.

The combination of worry, the need for real-time alerts, and the proliferation of negative content turns doom-scrolling into an almost automatic reflex, especially during tense periods.

How to Protect Yourself? (According to Experts)

Based on recommendations from Mayo Clinic, Harvard, and recent studies:

Set specific times to check the news

For example, in the morning and early evening.

Avoiding constant updates reduces stress.

Turn off notifications

Each alert creates an unnecessary sense of urgency and reactivates the doom-scrolling cycle.

Avoid screens before bedtime

Research from IJFMR (2025) shows that stopping 60 minutes before sleeping significantly improves sleep quality.

Seek balance in news sources

Favor reliable media and avoid platforms that amplify fear or sensationalism.

Replace scrolling with real activities

Walking, reading, soft music, or talking to a loved one, simple actions with scientifically proven benefits.

Stay Informed, But Don’t Drown

Doom-scrolling is not a trivial trend of the digital age, it is a real phenomenon, documented and confirmed by major institutions: Mayo Clinic, Harvard Medical School, IJFMR, the Arab Social Media Report, and Tate’s 2024 research.

In a country like Lebanon, where every piece of news can directly impact daily life, it is essential to learn how to protect oneself.

Staying informed is vital.

Getting lost in the flow can become dangerous.

Limiting doom-scrolling is not an act of disconnection, but an act of self-preservation, for your mind, your sleep, and your view of the world.



Please post your comments on:
[email protected]