What 'ghost scrolling' or 'ego scrolling' on social media says about you

Have you ever caught yourself watching Instagram or Snapchat stories in silence, but no matter how many DMs you get, you feel too tired to respond? This is exactly what ghost scrolling or ego scrolling is.

Let's get deeper into what ghost scrolling means. This increasingly common behaviour, dubbed ghost-watching or ego scrolling, may be more than just a scrolling habit. In some cases, it could be a subtle signal of emotional burnout.

What does ghost scrolling or ego scrolling mean?

Emotional burnout doesn’t always announce itself with full-blown exhaustion or breakdowns. Sometimes, it creeps in quietly — in the way you start withdrawing from conversations, skipping calls, or, in this case, engaging passively on social media.

When you're mentally and emotionally drained, even the smallest forms of interaction can feel like too much. Ghost-watching becomes a coping mechanism: you’re still connected, but not fully present. You scroll. You observe. But you don’t have the energy or the emotional capacity to participate.

If this sounds familiar, it might be your cue to pause and check in with yourself.

Not everyone who ghost-watches is emotionally burnt out. There are many other reasons someone might view your stories but not engage:

• Some are interested to find out what others are up to

  Some people check in out of habit or curiosity without feeling the need (or desire) to respond. They’re staying in your orbit, aka watching your life unfold, without being part of it. It could be an ex-classmate, the guy you matched with on Hinge who never reached out, or a colleague you know at present. Either way, it can feel like a violation of your personal boundaries. If that is the case, you can share pictures on your 'Close friends' list. You might be emotionally burnt out if you do this one thing on social media

• Overwhelmed by DMs

  They may be inundated with messages and find it hard to keep up, or they’ve muted notifications to avoid digital overload. Sometimes, ghost-watching is an intentional way to avoid a deeper interaction, especially if things ended awkwardly.

  So, if you're trying to initiate a conversation with your crush and have had no luck so far, you might just have to give up. Responding to their stories only takes you so far.

• Uncertainty or anxiety: They might struggle with what to say or feel unsure about how to respond in a way that feels "right." As a result, they put off responding for way too long until its too late.

• Prioritisation: Everyone has limited bandwidth. They might be focusing on other relationships or responsibilities at the moment. Sometimes, people see a story or message and simply forget to respond. It's a result of mental clutter.

Your online behaviour can offer quiet clues about your inner world. If you're burnt out, try to take a break from your phone. Sometimes, your phone is the problem.