Doomscrolling is the act of going into an endless, often subconscious, cycle of consuming negative news and digital content. While it may feel like a passive way to pass the time, this repetitive behaviour keeps the brain in a state of high alert, making it difficult to pull away even when the content becomes distressing. With upsetting news all over our social media, doomscrolling is prevalent now more than ever. As we sink deeper into the scroll, we must ask: is the toll merely mental, or is our physical wellbeing also paying the price?
We often think of scrolling through our phones as a way to unwind, but our bodies experience it differently. Dr Lyn Alamy, a double board-certified dermatologist at Hortman Clinics, describes doomscrolling as a modern form of silent skin stress. She explains that what starts as a harmless habit quickly becomes a biological cycle of inflammation and fatigue. “The skin starts to look tired before the patient even feels it,” Dr Alamy explains. This is because the stress hormone cortisol triggers inflammation and breaks down collagen, making the face appear less structured and less resilient over time.
There is also a literal, structural cost to our digital habits. Dr Alamy points out that tech neck – muscle strain and visible lines across the neck – is essentially repetitive mechanical ageing. Every time we glance down at a screen, we reinforce a fold in the skin that eventually becomes a permanent line. “Patients in their 20s are presenting with horizontal neck lines and early laxity, patterns we previously associated with a decade later,” she notes. Beyond the physical position, the blue light from our screens disrupts the skin’s internal clock, delaying its ability to repair itself overnight and leading to cumulative ageing.
The impact extends deep into our muscles and nervous system. Dr Gary Fitzgerald, a chiropractor at The Hundred Wellness Centre Dubai, has seen a significant increase in tension in the neck and shoulders. When we sit hunched over a phone, our shoulders roll forward, causing chronic strain. More importantly, the mental stress of doomscrolling changes our hormonal balance. Dr Fitzgerald explains that this stress makes the nervous system more sensitive. “The nervous system becomes more sensitised, which means that almost all signals the body receives are interpreted as a pain signal even when they are not.”
This heightened state of alert can lead to a cycle of chronic discomfort where the body remains in a fight or flight mode long after the phone is put away. Over time, these physical and chemical shifts can manifest as persistent headaches and a general sense of being overwhelmed, as the body struggles to find its natural equilibrium.
If it feels impossible to stop, it is because of how our brains are wired. Dr Jane Halsall, psychologist at Cornerstone Clinic Dubai, explains that scrolling engages a variable reward system, the same mechanism behind gambling. We keep swiping because of the dopamine-driven anticipation that the next post might be better, even if we aren’t enjoying what we see. “Dopamine is not about pleasure itself, but anticipation of the ‘maybe the next one will be better’ feeling,” Dr Halsall explains. “This is why we keep scrolling even when we’re no longer enjoying the content.”
To break the cycle, the experts suggest small and intentional shifts rather than dramatic changes. Dr Halsall recommends a Name and Pause technique: simply noticing the behaviour and asking if you are scrolling because you are bored or anxious can help reengage the decision-making part of your brain. Dr Fitzgerald’s best advice is even simpler: put the phone down and move. “The absolute best thing you can do is to put the phone down and move. Stand up and begin to walk around,” he says. Stretching the chest and rolling the shoulders can help reverse the physical hunch and signal to your brain that it’s time to disengage.
Ultimately, our well-being in a digital age requires us to avoid reactive habits and choose deliberately. While our devices are tools, they shouldn’t dictate our physical or mental health. By implementing small friction points and listening to the warning signs our skin and posture provide, we can enjoy the benefits of connectivity without the biological burnout.
