đź“Ś You pick up your phone to check one thing. Ten minutes later, you’re deep in a thread about global crises, political chaos, and economic doom. Your stomach tightens. Your brain feels overloaded. You close the app… only to open it again minutes later.
Sound familiar? That’s doomscrolling, and it’s not just a bad habit—it’s a focus and energy vampire.
Why We Get Stuck in the Doomscrolling Loop
For many of us—especially those with ADHD—our brains are wired to seek novelty, and news cycles are designed to hook us. Every refresh brings new information, new emotions, and new dopamine hits. But not all dopamine is good dopamine.
➡ Negativity Bias – Our brains are wired to pay more attention to threats than neutral or positive information. News outlets and social media algorithms know this, so they keep pushing anxiety-inducing content to the top.
➡ Hyperfocus Trap – People with ADHD can get locked in on distressing content, unable to pull away even though we know it’s overwhelming us.
➡ The Illusion of Productivity – Scrolling feels like staying informed and being a good citizen. But at some point, it stops being helpful and starts being paralyzing.
The Cost of Constant Consumption
When we inundate ourselves with negativity, it impacts our focus, mental health, and ability to take meaningful action.
💡 Focus Drain: Your brain wasn’t built to process a global crisis every 30 seconds. The more you consume, the harder it is to concentrate on your own life and tasks.
💡 Emotional Overload: Anxiety, anger, helplessness—doomscrolling activates fight-or-flight mode and makes it harder to regulate emotions.
💡 Disconnection from Loved Ones: When we’re glued to bad news, we’re mentally checked out from our present lives. Our kids, partners, and friends get a distracted, overwhelmed version of us.
How to Be Intentional with Your Awareness
You don’t have to bury your head in the sand. Being an informed, engaged global citizen matters. But intentional consumption allows you to stay aware without sacrificing your mental health.
✅ Set Consumption Boundaries – Choose a time-limited, intentional window to check news or social media (e.g., 15 minutes in the morning, NOT right before bed).
✅ Curate Your Feed – Follow sources that give factual updates without sensationalism. Unfollow accounts that constantly fuel anxiety without offering solutions.
✅ Ask: Is This Helping Me Take Action? – If the content is just making you feel helpless, pause. Shift focus to something productive—donating, volunteering, or simply caring for your immediate community.
✅ Reclaim Your Attention – Replace doomscrolling with real connection. Have a conversation, take a walk, create something. The world’s problems won’t disappear, but you’ll have more bandwidth to engage in ways that actually matter.
Final Thought: Protect Your Energy So You Can Show Up Where It Counts
We’re not meant to hold the weight of the world 24/7. Being intentional about where you place your attention allows you to stay informed and present—for yourself, your loved ones, and the causes that matter most.
Ready to get started on your Focus Journey? Grab a time slot to have a free Focus Call with me below! 👇
Amplify Wellness with Meg Duke 