A new cross-cultural study has revealed that doomscrolling, ‘the habit of continuously consuming negative news online,’ significantly increases feelings of existential anxiety, distrust, and despair. Researchers from the United States and Iran found that constant exposure to distressing news reshapes our perception of reality, making life seem more fragile and uncertain.
This phenomenon, described as ‘vicarious trauma,’ causes symptoms similar to PTSD—even without direct personal experience. The lead author of the study, Dr. Reza Shabahang, explains, ‘When we’re constantly exposed to negative news and information online, it can threaten our beliefs about our own mortality and the control we have over our own lives.’ from https://fixthenews.com/
Sure you need to know what’s going on but it’s not all bad. Remember that what we focus on grows – so find the good news, and focus on it. Find the beauty around you and focus on it. Find the people who make you laugh, inspire you, or simply love you, and focus on them. Find inspirational reading, quotes, uplifting music, and podcasts – and let them soak into your whole system. How about some ‘vicarious healing’ or ‘vicarious joy’ or ‘vicarious transformation’ instead?