Doomscrolling, Conspiracies, and Scrupulosity: Why “I Have to Know” Fuels Anxiety

The host describes repeated client concerns about social media feeds filled with conspiracy, hidden-symbol, and “spiritual danger” videos that feel like a duty to watch to protect family and faith, and argues this is anxiety-driven threat monitoring rather than prudence. She explains the attention economy: platforms monetize watch time, track behavior, and recommend emotionally high-arousal content, with fear and fascination logged as “interest,” creating escalating loops and intermittent rewards like slot machines; ads then sell remedies to the unease. She defines scrupulosity as OCD focused on religious/moral fears and outlines its engines—intolerance of uncertainty, inflated responsibility, thought-action fusion, and reassurance seeking—calling the feed “premium fuel.” Using Aquinas (curiositas vs. studiositas), the Catechism on unhealthy curiosity, Paul’s “wise as to what is good,” and Ignatius’s peace test, she offers four steps: name the loop, stop researching, retrain the feed, and follow the Church’s protocol (renunciation, sacraments, prayer), emphasizing trust and tolerating uncertainty. She mentions a course and a free “Summer Scroll Reset” PDF.

00:00 Conspiracy Feed Spiral
02:47 Why You Cant Just Stop
03:28 Your Feed Is A Mirror
04:33 Attention Economy Explained
07:51 Fear Wins The Algorithm
11:01 Slot Machine Certainty
14:49 Why Scrupulosity Hooks In
17:10 Threat Monitoring Trap
20:38 Aquinas And Curiosity
26:15 Four Steps To Break It
30:05 Objections And Clarity
31:12 Review And Sendoff

* This content is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to treat or diagnose any mental or physical health condition. It is not a substitute for professional mental health care. Your individual circumstance may differ. If you are in crisis please call or text 988 to talk to a person who is waiting to help you!

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