Negative Online Content Fueling Your Anxiety? Study Says So: Psychologist Guides on The Connection

Why Consuming Negative Content Impacts Mental Health

Ms. Tomar attests to the study's conclusion that scrolling through reels with negative connotations does impact one's mental health. "Excessive use of social media, especially the negative content, increases the risk of addiction as well as symptoms of anxiety, depression, poor sleep, etc. It also fosters fear and negative emotions," she adds.

While breaking down the phenomenon, Ms. Tomar cites the emotional contagion theory, where "individuals mimic/mirror the emotions of those around them. Accordingly, whatever an individual consumes, a similar emotion gets mirrored. Negative content thereby leads to experiencing negative emotions."

This behaviour also leads to confirmation bias, which means people search for "particular information that leads to confirmation of their thoughts/beliefs." This leads to them "unconsciously seeking more of such negative content that confirms the belief system along with the AI algorithms that automatically display content based on what the viewer is already consuming," the psychologist explains.

The never-ending loop contributes to an individual having "cognitive overload leading to burnout or stress and depressive symptoms. Repeated exposure may also lead to reinforcing negative cognitive patterns like pessimism or rumination making them more prone to negative thinking and less resilient to stress," she adds.

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Given this pattern, a person often loses control and projects these negative emotions on people around them. "Anxiety and compulsive social media checking behaviors may also develop due to FOMO (fear of missing out). Consumption of negative/excessive content becomes addictive due to the dopamine dysregulation triggered by the emotional content," Ms. Tomar points out.

Impact of Consuming Negative Content Across Age Groups

Ms. Tomar says negative content has a different impact on different age groups.

Adolescents: When adolescents or those between the ages of 10 and 19 get hooked on pessimistic content online, they become prone to self-image issues, body-image issues, social anxiety, or even mimic aggressive behaviors or inappropriate language. They may have difficulty distinguishing facts from fiction due to limited critical thinking skills as well as experiencing academic difficulties.

Young adults and middle-aged individuals: People in this age bracket (20-59 e) may experience symptoms of stress, burnout, sleep issues, social comparison, problems related to job performance and other responsibilities, addiction, or depression.

Older adults: This already-vulnerable group may experience increased anxiety, pessimism, paranoia, or loneliness. They may also succumb to fake news or scams.

7 Strategies to Combat Negative Scrolling

As per Ms. Tomar, here are 7 strategies to address the issue:

1. Setting limits to the usage/frequency of social media and sticking to the goal set
2. Having boundaries around consumption of social media - Avoid scrolling close to bedtime, upon waking up, or during meals
3. Engage in alternate activities/hobbies or interests as a form of distraction from the content as well as to be productive
4. Practice digital detox to allow the mind to relax and unwind
5. Follow accounts or consume content consciously that is positive, uplifting, and motivational or inspirational
6. Spend more time physically with family, friends, and loved ones
7. Seek professional help from a mental health professional

"There is a need for in-depth studies to address the impact of content on social media and how it influences individuals for better understanding and early intervention," wraps up Ms. Tomar.

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