If you’re like me, it may feel like everything in the world is terrible right now. You turn on the news and every story is negative. You scroll on social media and it’s nothing but hopelessness, despair, and terror. For some reason, you can’t stop going down this vortex of negativity even though It makes you feel depressed like there’s no point in doing anything. You’re caught in a doomscroll.
Unfortunately, this is a problem that happens to me often. Even if I put my phone down and start to feel better, it’s there waiting for me when I pick it back up again. So, how can you break this vicious cycle?
If you want to learn how to stop doomscrolling and improve your mood, then read this post. I’ll cover what causes doomscrolling, why it’s addictive, special considerations for those with ADHD, alternative behaviors, and how to stop.
What Is The Cause Of Doomscrolling?
Compulsively scrolling through social media or watching 24-hour news probably makes you feel bad, but for some reason you can’t stop. Why does this happen?
There are many causes of doomscrolling, including but not limited to:
- Boredom: Think about how many times you pick up your phone every day. Bored in a meeting? Scroll through your phone. Watching TV but not paying attention? Scroll through your phone. Sitting on the couch with nothing to do? Scroll through your phone? Don’t want to check email? Scroll through your phone. The reasons are endless.
- Fear of missing out: Is there something going on in the world that you don’t want to miss out on? Constantly checking your phone for updates can easily suck you into a doomscroll.
- Anxious: If you’re feeling anxious about something and you want to divert your attention, it’s easy to pick up your phone and get lost in your social media feed.
Of course, these are just common reasons why we start to scroll in the first place, but why do we get sucked in? It’s because doomscrolling is addictive.
Why Is Doomscrolling Addictive?
When you’re not paying for something, you’re the commodity. Your attention is what every social media platform wants, because they make money from advertising. So, the longer they can keep you scrolling, the more money they make. Because of this, social media platforms have been designed to be addictive. Studies have shown that social platforms reward the brain with dopamine to keep you coming back over and over again. It’s like a casino.
Additionally, advanced proprietary algorithms are designed to show you content that keeps you engaged. Think about the type of content that elicits a comment or reaction from you. If it’s related to negative news you’re going to see more and more of that type of content in your feed.
For example, if you are on one side of a political issue, and you like content related to the side of the issue you’re on, then that issue is going to keep popping up. This can make it incredibly difficult to stop scrolling, because your view is constantly being validated, but you end up arguing with a ghost. Meaning you’re debating an issue but there’s actually no one your debating within real life, you’re just consumed in an echo chamber of your own point of view.
Doomscrolling and ADHD
Doomscrolling can be especially challenging to overcome if you have ADHD. I know this from first-hand experience. All of the causes of doomscrolling are the same, and so is the ability to become addicted, but those with ADHD brains have something else they have to battle with — trouble staying focused.
Distractions are everywhere, and if you have ADHD it can make it very difficult to get anything done. I’ll be engaged in a task and then a random thought grabs my attention and I pick up my phone. Before I know it, I’ve spent 30 minutes scrolling through TikTok and forgotten what I was supposed to be doing.
Impulse control is hard, so if you have ADHD then all the causes of doomscrolling are magnified. Additionally, an ADHD superpower is hyperfocus, where you can concentrate on a particular activity for an extended period of time. However, social media is like kryptonite, it is engaging and tailored to your interests, which makes it difficult to break away from. This can lead to prolonged periods of doomscrolling for those who have ADHD.
The good news is that you can trick your brain by diverting your attention to alternative activities.
What Is An Alternative to Doomscrolling?
If you can’t get rid of the causes of doomscrolling, one of the best ways to stop is by finding alternatives. Consider my personal example.
I’m a news junkie, I constantly pick up my phone to read it. I knew it would be hard for me to stop doing this, but I also knew I enjoyed reading. So, I slowly started to change my behavior. Instead of picking up my phone and endlessly scrolling because I’m bored, I now read books on my phone. This satisfies whatever triggers me to pick up my phone and is an activity I enjoy.
Or if I’m bored and tempted to scroll on social media, I try to do a different activity like watch a TV show, go for a walk, or have a conversation with a loved one. It doesn’t really matter what you do, what is important is replacing the negative activity with a positive one.
Going beyond finding an alternative behavior, there are some other effective techniques to help you stop doomscrolling.
How to Stop Doomscrolling
If you really want to stop doomscrolling, try some of the following methods.
1. Try a digital detox.
One of the most effective ways to stop doomscrolling is by breaking the cycle. Take a break from social media, and news websites for a period of time, such as a weekend, or a week. This is similar to an approach I’ve devised to relieve symptoms of burnout called Burnout First Aid. You can read about the process here.
2. Find positive sources of information.
Instead of relying solely on social media and news websites for information, seek out positive sources of news and inspiration. You can create a feed using Feedly, and add sites like Positive News, and Upworthy.
You should also consider signing up for a newsletter that offers positive stories. I have one called The Weekly Dispatch, and you can sign up for it here. You’ll get a weekly dose of life changing mental health content and positive stories.
3. Take breaks.
If you find yourself getting sucked into a negative spiral, take a break and do something that makes you happy, such as going for a walk or listening to music.
4. Practice mindfulness.
Mindfulness techniques, such as deep breathing or meditation, can help to reduce stress and increase focus, making it easier to resist the urge to doomscroll.
5. Set limits on your phone or devices.
Most smartphone or device operating systems have built in measures that allow you to limit your screentime. Use these limits and set boundaries for yourself. There are also apps that can help you accomplish this. If you’re really struggling to put your phone down, consider buying a timed lock box and put your phone in it for periods of time.
6. Retrain your algorithm.
You know what’s odd? My wife doesn’t get caught up in doomscrolling. Why? Because she doesn’t have a ton of negative news clogging up her social media feeds. She has videos of cute puppies, recipes, and funny skits. If your feed is nothing but negative news, search for different content and start to engage with it frequently. When something negative pops up, mark it as not interested or quickly scroll past it. If it keeps popping up, put your phone down and come back to it later. After searching for more lighthearted interests several times and walking away when you’re not getting what you want, your feed will change.
If you can successfully implement any of these methods, then not only will you stop doomscrolling, but you will start to improve your mood.
How To Improve Your Mood After You’re Caught In A Doomscroll
It’s easy to feel bad when you get caught up in doomscrolling. It can also be hard to shift your world view. The good news is there are some things you can do to change your mindset.
1. Practice gratitude.
Research shows that gratitude increases happiness, and from personal experience I can tell you this is one of the most effective ways to break a negative cycle of thought patterns. When I feel like everything is terrible, I list five things I’m grateful for. Or I ask myself, “what was the best part of your day?” When I do this, I realize that I have good things in my life that make it worthwhile. For more help with breaking negative thoughts, read my post, “How to Interrupt Negative Thought Patterns.”
2. Practice self-compassion.
It can be easy to beat yourself up for doomscrolling, but you’re only human. Try to be kind to yourself and recognize that it’s a common struggle for many people. By practicing self-compassion, you can reduce feelings of shame or guilt and approach the problem in a more positive and proactive way.
3. Change your environment.
It’s easy to get sucked into your phone when you’re surrounded by the same four walls every day. Change up your routine. Go to a café or restaurant, peruse the library, go on a Target run, whatever you do just go somewhere. Changing your environment can often be enough to stop you from doomscrolling and boost your mood.
These are just a few suggestions to improve your mood from doomscrolling. For more ideas, read my post, “50 Ways to Improve Your Mood When You Are Having A Bad Day.”
Doomscrolling is a common phenomenon that can have negative effects on anyone’s mental health. By understanding the causes of doomscrolling and finding ways to divert your attention, set boundaries, or change what you see, you can break the cycle and improve your mood. Take control of your habits and prioritize your mental health. There’s nothing wrong with being informed, but no one needs constant updates about bad things going on in the world.
