Psychologist Links Modern Doomscrolling to Fear of Uncertainty
A psychologist explains why people across the political spectrum gravitate toward apocalyptic narratives, citing uncertainty as a key driver.
In an interview, Dr. Munia Bhattacharya of Marengo Asia Hospital in Gurugram described the current fascination with apocalyptic predictions as a coping mechanism for uncertainty. She observed that both left-leaning commentators, who view recent political developments as a slide toward dystopia, and right-wing evangelical groups, who focus on Revelation-based End Times, engage in extensive doomscrolling. Harvard psychologists have warned that this habit can damage mental well-being, but it persists across the ideological spectrum.
The trend intensifies when several striking astronomical events, such as eclipses or meteor showers, occur simultaneously, prompting people to link them to catastrophic outcomes. Examples cited include references to Bulgarian mystic Baba Vanga, a glacier in Antarctica dubbed “Doomsday,” and a recent solar eclipse that sparked social-media alarm. Bhattacharya argues that a definitive, dramatic story feels easier to process than ambiguous uncertainty.
Why it matters
Understanding why doomscrolling spreads helps address its mental-health risks across political divides.
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