Is doom-scrolling short videos your daily ritual? Depression and anxiety are waiting for you

Scientists have revealed that doom-scrolling short-form content can have a major impact on the brain, triggering health issues such as depression and anxiety. A new study analysed data across social media platforms, analysing 98,299 participants across 71 studies to understand how watching Reels and TikTok affect us. This included both youths and adults, with researchers analysing their engagement patterns and various cognitive and mental health indicators. What they found was not shocking, considering how such content has carved a vast space in our lives.

According to the study, endlessly watching short-form content can cause poor mental health, depression, anxiety, stress, and loneliness. Higher SFV consumption also affected cognitive health and was linked to poorer attention span in a majority of subjects. "The continuous cycle of swiping and receiving new, emotionally stimulating content has been proposed to trigger dopamine release, creating a reinforcement loop that contributes to patterns of habitual use and greater emotional reliance on digital interactions," the study states.

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Addiction to short videos affects health

The researchers wrote in the study that such content has "transformed social media platforms, with features like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts fostering their widespread adoption." Besides entertainment, "SFVs are increasingly used in education, political campaigns, advertising, and consumerism." However, the problem lies with the interface that lets users endlessly scroll through videos, raising "concerns about addiction and negative health implications."

"This habitual engagement may be associated with heightened stress and anxiety, as some users report difficulties disengaging and regulating their emotions in offline settings." Experts have already called out the ill effects of doomscrolling right before bedtime, and this study also reiterated it. "Consumption of SFVs in the hours before bedtime has been linked to disrupted sleep quality due to the blue light emitting from electronic devices, which may inhibit the production of melatonin and serotonin," the authors wrote.