Doomscrolling: How Scrolling on Social Media Causes Endless Dopamine Release

By Noor L

Have you ever opened your phone with the intention of only going on it for a short span of time, when suddenly several hours have passed and you haven’t done anything? We’ve all experienced this odd scenario, but why does it happen? The endless doomscrolling on social media is because of the dopamine that is released from social media and creates an addictive sensation and reward system that encourages more mindless scrolling.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain associated with the reward system, and actively encourages actions that stimulate the reward system, even if that stimulation might not be beneficial. While scrolling on social media, you anticipate there will be a reward, creating motivation to continue watching the repetitive mindless scrolling of videos that will never satisfy the craving. The mindless scrolling process is called a variable reward system, and the anticipation and motivation that are created during the process creates dopamine, and the dopamine encourages the variable reward system to be repeated, in hopes of a reward. The infinite scrolls and everchanging algorithm enable the variable reward system to continue chasing that high, with the addictiveness being heightened by the brains unpredictability of which video will be the one to fully satisfy the reward system, causing more dopamine to be released.

While going on your phone for too long for just one time might not seem harmless, the neurons in your brain start to view the variable reward system as a now formed habit, and the need to chase that endless dopamine on social media is increased. While the addictive system may seem integrated into your daily life, through small steps like activities that increase attention span, deleting certain social media apps, or even just putting your phone away, you can take proactive steps in decreasing the dependency on the dopamine release that comes with doomscrolling on social media, that can often be harmful to your health, well-being, and productivity.

When scrolling on social media, the brain is constantly releasing dopamine, a pleasure hormone. The scrolling pattern is encouraged every time that social media is opened and creates an association between opening your phone and social media and that illusive dopamine release. The habit of opening your phone and immediately doomscrolling can be rewired through steps that decrease the dependency on social media as a reward system and increase attention span instead of endless doomscrolling. Taking control of your actions while online can be hard due to the addictive system that is involved with every social media scroll but doesn’t have to consume your everyday habits and define your productivity.

Sources:

Mindless Scrolling: The Science Behind Why It’s so Addictive. mooremomentum.com/blog/what-is-mindless-scrolling-and-the-science-behind-why-its-so-addictive.

Weinschenk, Susan, PhD. “Or, ‘Why Can’t I Stop Scrolling on My App Feeds?’” Psychology Today, 28 Feb. 2018, www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/brain-wise/201802/the-dopamine-seeking-reward-loop.

“Addictive Potential of Social Media, Explained.” News Center, 18 June 2025, med.stanford.edu/news/insights/2021/10/addictive-potential-of-social-media-explained.html.

Professional, Cleveland Clinic Medical. “Dopamine.” Cleveland Clinic, 19 Mar. 2025, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22581-dopamine.