You probably don’t need a scientific study to tell you that doomscrolling isn't great for your mental health.
But if you did want one, a major paper in Nature Human Behaviour has shown exactly how negative online content can fuel a cycle of low mood and mental decline. The finding is clear: Mood shapes browsing. Browsing shapes mood. And the cycle repeats.
So what do you do?
Another study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology tested something you can benefit from today: how people can use social media to build real connection.
The result? Those who actively supported and interacted with people they cared about (rather than influencers or strangers) felt significantly better. They didn’t use social media less. They just used it differently.
Here is the science behind the scroll, and the strategy to fix it.
Use our 5-step smart scroll system to avoid social media doom loops
The science: the doomscrolling trap
Your mental health mirrors your screen time.
The new Nature Human Behaviour paper analysed how online browsing affects mood and mental wellbeing across four separate studies. Using natural language processing to quantify the emotional tone of the content people chose to consume, researchers found a distinct pattern:
Mood dictates choice: People tend to browse content that matches their current mood.
Negative leads to negative: A negative mood led to more browsing of negative content.
The loop: That consumption, in turn, made mood worse—creating a self-perpetuating loop.
The cycle was found to be both causal and bidirectional. Consuming negative content made people feel worse, and crucially, made them seek out even more negative content afterward.
How to scroll smarter (without quitting)
Giving up social media isn’t realistic or even desirable for most people. What you need is a smarter way to use it.
A study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology last month tested three approaches in 393 people aged 17–29 over six weeks:
Connection group: Guided to use social media to feel more connected.
Abstain group: Asked to reduce social media use.
Control group: No guidance.
The result: The "Connection group"—those who felt more connected through social media—were the ones who saw the biggest improvements in mental wellbeing. They outperformed even those who tried to quit.
Epic wins: 5 ways to elevate your feed
Based on the findings, here is how to shift your usage from "consumption" to "connection" to protect your mental health.
1. Actively reach out
Send DMs or leave comments for friends and family, rather than passively scrolling through their feeds. Direct interaction builds the social bonds that buffer against low mood.
2. Post authentically
Post personal updates about your actual thoughts, feelings, or experiences. This invites deeper engagement from your circle, moving beyond the superficial "highlight reel."
3. Respond meaningfully
Go beyond the "like" button. Leave thoughtful or encouraging comments on others' posts to create a genuine exchange.
4. Join communities
Engage in interest-based communities (such as fitness, books, or creative hobbies). Cultivating a sense of shared purpose is a proven driver of wellbeing.
5. Curate your input
Curate a more positive feed by ruthlessly unfollowing or muting accounts that provoke negative emotions. If the content fuels the negative loop, cut the cord.
References
Kelly CA, Sharot T. Web-browsing patterns reflect and shape mood and mental health. Nature Human Behaviour. 2025 Jan;9(1):133-46.
Mikami AY, Khalis A, Karasavva V. Logging out or leaning in? Social media strategies for enhancing well-being. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. 2024 Nov 7.
