Negative Effects of Continuous Social Media Browsing and Strategies for Permanent Cessation
In the digital age, doomscrolling has become a common phenomenon. This compulsive behavior of continuously consuming negative or distressing news online can have detrimental effects on mental health. However, there are effective strategies to help you stop doomscrolling and reclaim your peace of mind.
Setting App Limits
One practical approach is to utilise your phone's built-in features like focus modes or app timers to limit social media use. By setting boundaries, you can reduce anxiety and restore mental peace from the negative impacts of doomscrolling.
Time Blocking
Scheduling your day so there is always a planned important task leaves less opportunity for mindless scrolling. This deliberate structuring of your time can help break the doomscrolling habit and improve mental well-being.
Curating Your Social Media Feeds
Regularly reviewing and adjusting your social feeds to reduce exposure to anxiety-provoking content is also crucial. Unfollow accounts that trigger anxiety and instead seek positive and uplifting content.
Engaging in Offline Activities
Establishing clear boundaries around when you allow yourself to scroll, especially during vulnerable times, and engaging more in offline activities such as hobbies, nature, and real-world connections can further aid in breaking the habit. Replacing evening scrolling with less stressful activities like podcasts or reading audiobooks is another effective strategy.
Mini Digital Detoxes
Trying mini digital detoxes to give your brain needed rest and reset without disconnecting entirely can also be beneficial. These detoxes can help you regain control over your digital habits and improve your mental state.
Doomscrolling can increase anxiety levels, make one feel more helpless or hopeless, and struggle to focus on anything else. It's important to remember that you don't need to doomscroll to care about the world; you just need to care about your mind, too.
Recognising the Triggers
Emotional triggers that keep one hooked on doomscrolling include uncertainty, a need for control or information, and a desire to feel connected or aware. Acknowledging these triggers is the first step towards breaking the habit.
Signs of Doomscrolling
Signs of doomscrolling include checking the news or social media several times a day, losing track of time while scrolling, feeling mentally exhausted or emotionally numb afterward, and trouble sleeping after being on one's phone. If you recognise these signs in yourself, it may be time to take action.
Taking Action
Using app timers or digital wellness tools to restrict usage, avoiding screens during meals or family time, starting the day without screens for the first 30 minutes, turning off notifications for non-essential apps, and keeping your phone out of the bedroom are all actions that can help.
Alternatives to Doomscrolling
Choosing your input with intention is a radical act of self-care. Instead of doomscrolling, journal thoughts or emotions, go for a walk or do light exercise when feeling anxious, or read a physical book or write in a gratitude journal before bed.
Breaking the Habit
Breaking the doomscrolling habit requires acknowledging the habit, setting boundaries, finding alternatives to check news, and practicing mindfulness and self-care. Apps like Forest, Freedom, Insight Timer, AppBlock, and the 5-Day Mind Reboot Challenge can help in this journey.
Physical Consequences
Physical consequences of doomscrolling include poor sleep quality, eye strain, headaches, tension in the neck or shoulders, and sedentary behavior that affects posture and energy levels. By breaking the habit, you can also improve your physical health.
The Long Journey
Most habits take 21-66 days to change, but small adjustments can help within a week. Remember, it's a journey, not a race. Reclaiming your mind means protecting your peace and making space for joy, clarity, and calm.
Gratitude can be found in setting boundaries for social media use, as it helps reduce anxiety and foster mental peace despite the negativity of doomscrolling. Science has shown that active engagement in offline activities like hobbies, nature, and real-world connections, rather than doomscrolling, can positively impact mental health and well-being.
