Slang dossier
Doomscrolling
Pronounced DOOM-skroh-ling
Continuing to scroll through upsetting news or alarming posts even when it is making you feel worse. It describes a behavior, not a diagnosis.
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In a sentence
How it sounds
Illustrative examples
- “I meant to check one headline and ended up doomscrolling.”
- “I am putting my phone down before the next bad-news thread.”
Where teens use it
The habitat
News feeds, disaster updates, political arguments and late-night scrolling.
Parent briefing
What parents should know
Ask how the feed leaves them feeling. Agree on a stopping point, use trustworthy reporting and make room for sleep. If the material is frightening, listen first rather than simply confiscating the phone.
Keep decoding
Related terms
Get the free weekly briefing.
One email a week — what you need to know about your teens world.
Your teen won’t explain it. We will.
Your email goes to Substack under its privacy policy. You may need to finish signup there. Subscribe directly on Substack.
Want more? Go paid: $9/month or $75/year.