Psychologist Reminds Doomscrolling Risk And Strategy To Control It

Illustration of Klombscrolling (Photo: Freepik/Freepik)

JAKARTA Recently, social media has been flooded with unpleasant news that has appeared relentlessly. This condition makes many people feel anxious and continues to be compelled to look for, read, and even watch negative news. This behavior is known as jismscrolling.

Responding to this phenomenon, Atika Dian Ariana, MSc, MPsi, Psychologist, lecturer at the Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR), explained that calming is a form of compulsive behavior rooted in anxiety facing uncertainty. According to him, humans naturally want to understand the situation so that they feel they can control the situation and are ready to face threats.

"This Gumscrolling is actually an impetus to protect ourselves. By seeking information, we feel as if we are able to control potentially dangerous things," he said, quoted from UNAIR's official website.

Although it looks like a survival instincts, Atika insists that this behavior is actually ineffective. Continuous exposure of negative information can affect both thoughts and emotions, making it easier for a person to stress.

"Scrolling doesn't really solve the problem unless we know when to stop. For example, during the exam, there is a clear time limit so that it can still be controlled. But in conditions full of uncertainty, such as pandemics or riots, we don't know when it will end," he explained.

Furthermore, this habit can also lead to excessive anxiety that interferes with daily routines. If it lasts a long time, these conditions have the potential to cause physical and mental fatigue.

"When you are anxious or stressed, the body is automatically tense, such as preparing to face danger. If you are constantly, it's not just a tired mind, the body drops," he added.

In order not to get worse, Atika emphasized the importance of increasing media literacy. According to him, everyone needs to learn to sort out credible sources of information and not just follow the content from the doubt channel. That way, the information received is really useful to understand the situation.

In addition, he also suggested limiting news exposure by diverting attention to other healthier activities, such as exercising, cooking, cleaning the house, developing hobbies, or undergoing spiritual activities.

"There are things that we can control, but there are also things that we should leave to God. If we can balance these aspects, we will be better able to regulate emotions and function fully as humans," he explained.

In closing, Atika added that seeking support from people closest to you or professional assistance can be an option if a simple strategy is not effective enough.

"Instead of being trapped by fire, it's better to spend time with productive activities. And if you feel you can no longer handle it yourself, don't hesitate to seek professional help." he concluded.