The 5 Best Ways to Break the Doomscrolling Habit

It's hard to avoid some of the negative news lately, but too much can be hard on you… here's some help to avoid falling into the trap of doomscrolling

In the past, it was pretty easy to avoid constant bad news. But in today's tech media world, it's difficult. Not only are there legitimate news organizations, there is also clickbait, and it seems like tons of people feel comfortable sharing their every thought about anything on social media. What happened to sharing happy cat photos? Being caught down the rabbit hole of doomscrolling can really mess you up.

Doomscrolling means being trapped scrolling through bad news and not being able to break free from it. Constant or frequent doomscrolling can be harmful to your mental health and/or mood. It reinforces negative thoughts and feelings. If you are already prone to depression or anxiety, or have a mental health problem, this may make the problem worse. Doomscrolling can exacerbate this problem far beyond expectations. This often leads to irritability, lack of productivity, poor concentration and mental exhaustion.

Here are the 5 best ways to break the dommscrolling habit.

Photo by Helena via rawpixel.com

Set boundaries

Some people want to see the news and current events and just browse online. The problem is that boundaries are ignored and you spend a lot of time in a negative space. In addition, algorithms give you more information about your focus. The more bad news you read, the more you get. It can seem like there is no news of doom. It's important to set boundaries. Set a limit to scroll news for 20 minutes and look at at least X articles about positive/interesting news during this period. It may seem difficult at first, but it helps improve perspective and transform your feed.

Look for good news

If you're having a hard time staying away from social media, make sure you engage in positive things while scrolling. Follow happy, interesting and insightful stories that will uplift you and connect you with things you enjoy. Start pursuing your hobby or passion. There seems to be an endless supply of Lego, cooking, pets and more online.

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Limit triggers

If politics scares you, try blocking these topics for a while, at least until you are better able to consume them. Use all the tools at your disposal – block push notifications, mute people who are active on social media, and avoid topics that upset you. An effective way to filter out news is to subscribe to a newsletter and use it as your main source of information.

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Socialize

Live interaction can completely change your mood. Even a five-minute phone call or a short walk can lift your mood and improve your mental health. The interaction engages parts of your mind that can calm your fears. Talking to a living friend promotes a sense of belonging and security and helps balance

Meditate

If you feel too caught up in negative feelings and need something to re-center yourself, try meditation. Use a guided app and step away from screens for a session. Hopefully this will make you feel present and prevent you from going to an anxious place.