Doomscrolling
Compulsively continuing to scroll through grim and distressing news and posts, even though it makes you feel bad. A word that broke through during the 2020 pandemic for the self-harming habit that infinite feeds enable.
Mechanic: the combination of an infinite feed (infinite scroll, no natural stopping point), an algorithm that surfaces upsetting content (because it engages), and the brain's pull toward threat ("negativity bias") creates a loop you get stuck in. Effects: increased anxiety, sleep problems, a sense of helplessness — well documented during COVID, elections, and crises. Remedies: screen-time limits, "no infinite scroll" design, deliberate breaks, app timers. The term became so widespread it entered dictionaries. A central criticism of engagement-driven design: what keeps you there isn't what's good for you. Related to algorithmic feed and rage bait.