Scrolling with Intention
Taryn Laulainen | The Voice of Zion September 2026 - Round the Table articles --
Youth from the Utah Valley congregation share reflections about using social media with a believing heart.
I’ve been an active social media user for the past ten or so years, and during this time, social media has changed many times over. In the early days of being online, it was much easier to manage our social media feeds. Now, with the never-ending scroll, we are never more than a tap or scroll away from more and more content.
In recent years, social media has moved to algorithm-based feeds that are designed to maximize the amount of time spent online. With these developments, I’ve found it much more common to see things from people, companies or influencers I don’t actively follow. I’ve had to exercise much caution so I don’t end up scrolling for hours. There is always more to see, and seeing just one more post never seems to bring satisfaction.
As I get older, I find social media to be an escape in more of a negative context. I’m an introvert by nature, so I’ve made an effort to avoid scrolling at church, haps, when playing card or board games or during meals. Having space in my life that is free from social media allows for better conversation and connections with others.
When I started using social media, I spent a lot of time thinking about it. What should I post? What captions should go with each post? What should I comment on my friend’s post? But as time passes, I find I’ve gained confidence in myself as a person. I’ve become more secure in my faith and my opinions, which makes it easier to post authentically and allows me to present myself online in a way that is true to my personality.
As I have gotten older, I’ve used social media and posted less frequently, especially as I have seen how a comment or post may go much further than intended. As widely as our circles can reach online, I find face-to-face connections to be more genuine. An online smile, though, is still good every once in a while.
Social Media Swirl
Abby Tolkkinen, Lillie Plough and Jessica Erickson
Comparison
When we look at other people’s pictures on social media, it can feel like we’re falling behind. We may think, “Wow, my life seems so boring and unfulfilling compared to theirs,” and try to copy them. For instance, we might go on a beach trip with friends and post fun pictures just because that’s what others are doing, and not because it’s something we truly wanted to do. Sometimes it’s less stressful just to avoid social media altogether, just to get away from the constant comparison and the social pressure. Negative feelings usually have less to do with the technology or platform itself, and more to do with how social media exposes our own insecurities. Ultimately, it all comes down to how we use it.
Doomscrolling
It’s easy to doomscroll for hours. The longer we do it, the more we stray into dangerous areas, and we can find ourselves watching videos that harm us. When we finally put the phone down, we feel dumb for wasting so much time. Even when doing other activities, such as reading, it’s easy to pick up the phone and start scrolling. Doomscrolling is mentally draining. It eats up our time and distracts us from going outside or doing other activities.
Authenticity
People are different on social media than they are in real life. But it’s still possible to be authentic on social media. As a viewer, it’s easy to think that someone else is having a perfect life when we only see their highlight reels. But we don’t always need to share our hard days either. It’s fun to see the exciting things friends and family get to do, even if they only are posting the good things that happen.
What is doomscrolling?
Dictionaries and mental health experts define doomscrolling as the habit of compulsively scrolling through negative or distressing news, videos, or social media posts, even when doing so leaves us feeling anxious, discouraged, angry, or emotionally drained.
Unlike ordinary mindless scrolling, doomscrolling centers on upsetting content. As we continue scrolling, social media algorithms often show us more of the same, creating a cycle in which anxious feelings lead to more scrolling, and more scrolling increases anxiety and stress.