By Dana Dzamic — ADHD coach, writer, and professional “doomscroll escapee”
The 2 a.m. spiral
It’s 2 a.m. The world is on fire (again). Your phone lights up with breaking news: political upheaval, war footage, climate disasters, some billionaire saying something inflammatory. You think, I’ll just check what’s going on… Two hours later, you’re still scrolling, heart racing, brain buzzing, and your to-do list for tomorrow just exploded into confetti.
If this feels uncomfortably familiar, welcome. You’re not weak; you’re wired this way. Our ADHD brains are exquisitely tuned to threat, novelty and urgency — the perfect recipe for getting hijacked by a 24/7 news cycle. But you can learn to break the loop — and still stay informed without sacrificing sleep, focus or sanity.
Let’s unpack why that happens and, more importantly, how to reclaim your mental real estate without becoming oblivious to the world.
Why Bad News Hooks the ADHD Brain
Before we break down what’s really happening in an ADHD brain, let’s pause and name the invisible tug-of-war you might be feeling. The constant feed of breaking news isn’t just “information” — it’s engineered to hook human survival instincts. But when you have ADHD, those instincts are dialed up: the novelty-seeking, the quick-shifting attention, the hair-trigger threat detector.
What follows isn’t a character flaw or a lack of resilience; it’s your nervous system doing its best to keep you safe in a hyper-connected, hyper-alarming world. Understanding that is the first step to taking your focus back.
1. Your threat detector is overachieving
Human brains scan for danger; ADHD brains just do it louder and faster. News headlines are designed to grab attention. They’re red, urgent, breaking — essentially a dopamine snack. For a brain always scanning for “what could go wrong?”, the news is like an all-you-can-eat buffet.
2. Uncertainty is a dopamine casino
ADHD brains crave novelty and prediction. Bad news comes in unpredictable bursts — that variable reward pattern is exactly how slot machines work. Maybe the next update will make me feel safe… (It won’t. It will just send you another headline.)
3. Intolerance of uncertainty
Many of us with ADHD feel physical discomfort when we don’t know what’s coming. Our frontal lobes, already stretched thin, say: Solve the unknown now. So we scroll, hoping for certainty. Instead, we get more “unknowns.”
Real-life scenes you might recognise
Working parent opens BBC app for “just a peek” and 40 minutes later has 37 tabs about global trade, plus a forgotten work deadline.
Teen doomscrolls TikTok climate videos until 3 a.m., then tells you school is pointless because the planet is dying.
Night owl feels responsible for “staying informed,” but mostly ends up exhausted and anxious.
If you’ve told yourself I’m just lazy and distracted, stop. This is neurobiology + a hostile information ecosystem.
When chaos fuels (and fools) the ADHD brain
Sometimes bad news doesn’t just scatter focus — it supercharges it. Many ADHD adults suddenly become extremely productive when something big breaks: petitions signed, emails to MPs, disaster relief fundraisers. Purpose and novelty can bring hyperfocus.
But watch the cost. Urgency highs are addictive and can crash hard. The same energy that fuels action can lead to burnout and despair if it isn’t bounded.
How Doomscrolling Worsens ADHD Anxiety & Sleep
Sleep wreckage: scrolling late floods your body with cortisol (the stress hormone) and the blue light from screens tells your brain it’s daytime.
Decision fatigue: after reading 12 hot takes on one war, you can’t decide what to eat.
Relationship tension: “You’re ignoring me for your apocalypse feed again.”
Misinformation & impulsivity: sharing before reading, rage donating, or buying supplies for disasters you’ll never face.
Identity erosion: chronic fear can whisper, “You can’t cope,” making ADHD shame worse.
Stop Doomscrolling: ADHD-Friendly News Habits
You can’t stop wars or elections. But you can stop letting the headlines run your nervous system.
1. Rebuild an ADHD-friendly information diet
Time-box news checks: 10–15 minutes morning and evening. Use a timer if needed.
Get off the dopamine drip: turn off push alerts, remove news apps from home screen.
Choose slow news: weekly email digests, podcasts, or long-form explainers instead of live feeds.
2. Train uncertainty tolerance
Delay checking updates by small increments.
Name the discomfort out loud: “I feel itchy not knowing.”
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and ADHD coaching can help reframe “not knowing” as safe enough.
3. Reset your nervous system before & after exposure
Move first: walk, stretch, dance it out.
Sensory grounding: weighted blanket, cold water on wrists, petting the cat.
Mindfulness — ADHD edition: short, guided, dynamic practices rather than long silent sits.
4. Safe activism — without frying your circuits
Pick one cause, one channel, one action per week.
Set a time budget: “I volunteer/write/donate for 1 hour this week.”
If it tips into insomnia, rage posting, or despair, step back and talk it through in therapy.
⚡️ Therapy note: If the cycle is driving insomnia, panic, or hopelessness, you don’t have to “just be tougher.” ADHD-savvy therapy such as OnlineTherapy.com (#ad) can help regulate this loop.
Special notes for teens and women
Teens: developing prefrontal cortex + social media algorithms = perfect storm. Help them name feelings, build small news-free rituals before bed, and teach critical consumption.
Women: hormonal sensitivity and rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD) can make frightening content hit harder. Boundaries and co-regulation matter.
From helpless to active (without burning out)
You’re not fragile; you’re finely wired for pattern spotting, empathy, and action. The trick is turning that gift into measured engagement rather than panic consumption. You can be aware and informed without feeding the algorithm your peace of mind.
When you feel the pull: pause, breathe, move, choose one trusted update source, and step away again. That’s not ignorance; it’s survival.
Final thought
The world might still be on fire tomorrow. But your brain doesn’t have to burn with it. Protecting your focus and emotional energy isn’t selfish; it’s how you stay resilient, creative, and capable of making the difference you want to make. Tonight, try one news check at a set time — and stop when the timer rings. Your nervous system will thank you.