Breaking the Cycle: Combatting Doomscrolling by Carolina Messick
Do you find yourself spending too much time on social media looking at distressing news or images? Is it difficult to tear yourself away from your For You Page (FYP) or news feed? Do you often feel depressed or anxious after scrolling through negative content? You might be doomscrolling. Doomscrolling is when someone will continue to scroll or surf negative news online in order to get all the information they can because of the compulsion and ease of scrolling or tapping through apps and news feeds. This can be an addictive habit once you’re constantly surrounded by negative information, made even more addicting by the nature of FYPs. Apps like Instagram or Facebook run off an algorithm based on what you “like” online, which helps these apps figure out what you want to see. For example, if you keep liking political content, then the apps will continue to churn out more political content for you to keep scrolling through, and the cycle continues.
Not only is doomscrolling addictive, but it also takes a toll on your well-being. When it comes to mental health, people who doom scroll may be apprehensive of the world or feel like there is no point. Emotional health also takes a hit when it comes to doomscrolling, as people may become depressed or consumed with negative thoughts. Additionally, physical health can be negatively impacted by doomscrolling as it can lead to a high amount of stress in the body, which can lead to anxiety or chronic stress. The idea behind doomscrolling is to protect oneself against the danger of the outside world and have some semblance of control, but in reality, doomscrolling does more harm than good in the long run. Nonetheless, there are ways to break this cycle and get your wellness back on track.
It’s important to take a moment to see how the content you consume affects your overall well-being in terms of emotional, physical, and mental health. Here are steps you can take to stop doomscrolling:
- Limit your time on social media. Set up a timer on your phone or see if your apps have their own time limits. For example, Instagram has a way to set up a daily time limit and will send a notification once you’ve reached your limit.
- Avoid stressful content. Do a deep clean of your social media and news subscriptions. See who you follow online and what benefit/harm they bring. It may be helpful to unfollow or block them completely.
- Spend time offline. Find breaks in your day to spend alone or with friends. Social media can be very time-consuming, so finding time to spend offline can help break that up. Having things to do offline (e.g., cooking or reading) can also help you avoid doomscrolling.
- Practice relaxation techniques. Do breathing exercises or take a walk outside. This helps decrease stress and manage anxiety. Having a toolbox of coping skills handy can be useful in a pinch when you find yourself wanting to seek out negative content.
Social media is so important in how we gather news, stay connected to one another, and keep up with new trends that it’s important to realize the pros and cons of constantly ingesting images, articles, and news. Technology is an important part of life, but you have the power not to make it the most important.
Resources:
Healthy vs Unhealthy Coping Strategies
Sources:
Miller, K. (2023, November 14). What is doomscrolling, and how do you stop? Health. https://www.health.com/mind-body/what-is-doomscrolling
Rosen, K. (2022, March 30). How to stop doomscrolling—with psychology. WIRED. https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-stop-doomscrolling-psychology-social-media-fomo/
- Categories: