You’ve likely found yourself doing it, scrolling endlessly through bad news, disasters, and alarming headlines, even when it leaves you feeling worse. This behavior has a name: doomscrolling. While it affects all of us, our adolescents may be the most vulnerable.

Doomscrolling is the tendency to keep consuming negative news online, even when it leads to anxiety or depression. It surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it hasn’t gone away. Our youth are now growing up in a digital world filled with an endless stream of headlines and stories, many of which focus on crisis, conflict, or catastrophe.

Studies show that adolescents who frequently consume distressing news on social media have higher levels of stress, poor sleep, and difficulty concentrating. The constant exposure to negative content can affect their mental health, sense of security, and even how they see their future. Young people often turn to their phones for connection or information, but without guidance, they can get trapped in cycles of anxiety-inducing content and posting for validation.

Teaching kids (and ourselves) to look for positive action, not just problems, rewires how we interact with the world. Even better, participating in local clubs like 4-H allows youth to be part of good news stories. They learn they aren’t powerless. They can be the helpers. Involvement provides youth with in-person friendships, leadership roles, and hands-on learning to become confident, resilient, and resistant to the negative barrage. Encourage your child to unplug and plug into their community.

There is real hope, but we have to seek it, share it, and support media that bring it to light. There are things parents can do to support a positive sense of well-being in this media-centric time of the twenty-four-hour news cycle.

Kids are watching us. If they see us putting our phones down during meals or limiting news intake, they’re more likely to do the same. Talk openly about your own need to step away from the news sometimes.

Establish tech-free zones, at the dinner table or in their bedrooms, and create screen curfews. Encourage wind-down routines at night that don’t involve screens, such as reading a book, journaling, or talking about the day.

Teach your children to question what they see online. Who is posting? What’s their goal? Is it factual? Helping them become critical thinkers can reduce emotional reactivity and fear-based scrolling. Create space for them to talk about what they’re absorbing digitally and how it affects them emotionally.

We can’t eliminate stress from our kids’ lives, but we can reduce unnecessary digital stress. By being present, setting boundaries, and encouraging positive real-world activities, families can combat doomscrolling and improve mental health. Let’s remind our youth that not all of the world’s news fits in a screen and that hope, action, and community are right here at home.

Pam Kerley has a master’s degree in Youth, Family, and Community Science and is the 4-H Program Assistant at the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Lee County Center. For more information about this topic and others, contact Lee County 4-H. 4-H is a positive youth development program that offers activities to fit various interests, backgrounds, budgets, and schedules. In Lee County, 4-H provides opportunities for youth through in-school programs, after-school activities, clubs, and camps, welcoming all children eager to have fun, learn, and grow. In North Carolina, 4-H is powered by NC State Cooperative Extension and NC A&T University, bringing expert knowledge, resources, and practical tools to enrich daily life and support community well-being.