New evidence suggests that an increasing number of children and teenagers in Greece are falling into the trap of doomscrolling — the global phenomenon of compulsively consuming negative news on social media, often to the point of addiction.
According to findings from the National Initiative for the Promotion of Child and Family Health, three out of four young people report experiencing doomscrolling, while 42% say they continue scrolling even when the content is causing them anxiety.
The study also highlights the overwhelming role social media plays in young people’s daily lives. Nearly 89.2% of young respondents said they use social media every day, while 76.1% identified platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and X as their primary source of news and information. At the same time, 60.3% admitted they lose track of time while endlessly scrolling through content.
More than half of respondents said doomscrolling negatively affects their mood, sleep, and ability to concentrate. Exposure to distressing news through endless scrolling is linked to feelings of sadness, anxiety, anger, and exhaustion, with many young people also reporting a sense of helplessness.
Greece’s Alternate Health Minister warned that the long-term consequences could extend far beyond children’s mental wellbeing. She said excessive exposure to algorithm-driven content may also undermine democracy itself, arguing that young people risk losing the ability to develop critical thinking skills.
The findings come from a nationwide survey conducted among more than 2,200 participants across the general population, including parents of children aged 2 to 17 and young adults between 17 and 24 years old.
