Lost in Mental Fog: The Link Between Doomscrolling, Brain Fog, and Psychological Resilience in Social Media Users

Purpose: The current study aimed to examine the relationships among psychological resilience, doomscrolling, and brain fog, and to evaluate the protective role of resilience on cognitive well-being. Findings highlight the relevance of digital stress behaviors for mental health nursing practice. Method: A cross-sectional design was used. Psychological resilience, doom-scrolling, and brain fog were assessed using validated self-report scales. Structural equation modeling was conducted to test direct and indirect associations among variables. Results: Psychological resilience had a strong negative effect on brain fog (B = −1.947, β = −0.62, p < .001). Doomscrolling significantly increased brain fog levels (B = 0.851, β = 0.41, p < .001). A significant negative covariance was observed between resilience and doomscrolling (B = −3.686, p < .001). Conclusion: Psychological resilience reduces risk for brain fog, whereas doom-scrolling serves as a psychosocial stressor that impairs cognitive clarity. These findings underscore the importance of assessing digital behavior patterns in mental health nursing and support the development of interventions aimed at strengthening resilience to enhance cognitive well-being.