By now, you\u2019re most likely familiar with doomscrolling. You know, the thing where you can\u2019t stop looking at Twitter or Instagram, swiping through all of the stories, articles, and messages of tragedy and despair. More unnerving COVID updates, more disheartening images of climate disasters, another crowdfunding link for a friend of a friend who has hit hard times. There\u2019s so much depressing news, and all you can do is keep swiping for more.<\/p>\n
Doomscrolling was such a phenomenon that it was named a 2020 Word of the Year by Oxford English Dictionary, but even in late 2021, it hasn\u2019t slowed down \u2014 in fact it feels like the bad habit has only gotten worse. Well, it\u2019s time to put the phone down and unlearn doomscrolling once and for all.<\/p>\n
Doomscrolling as a concept blew up last year in light of the pandemic. Suddenly, with the world seemingly falling apart and nowhere else to go, we turned to our phones to try to make sense of what was happening. But at some point, we stopped making sense and just got lost in the quagmire of doom. The anxiety we feel from doomscrolling can be paralyzing, but at the same time, there is a strange validation that it brings.<\/p>\n
According to Susan Albers, PsyD, via Cleveland Clinic:<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re depressed, you often look for information that can confirm how you feel,\u201d says Dr. Albers. \u201cIf you\u2019re feeling negative, then reading negative news reconfirms how you feel. It\u2019s the same mindset.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Who doesn\u2019t love being right (even when everything about the world feels so wrong)? Unfortunately, this loop of emotional corroboration is taking a toll on our mental health, which can lead to issues with our physical health.<\/p>\n
When we experience stress, our body responds by going into fight-or-flight mode. It releases the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol, which allow your body to focus, be more alert, and deal with the threat at hand. This is crucial for short-period stresses like reflexively swerving your car to avoid an accident, after which the hormone levels go back to normal. But when the stress is a prolonged response to financial issues or the state of the world, having those hormones swirling around in your body for extended periods of time isn\u2019t good for you. In fact, according to the Mayo Clinic, it can lead to:<\/p>\n
\n
- Anxiety<\/li>\n
- Depression<\/li>\n
- Digestive problems<\/li>\n
- Headaches<\/li>\n
- Muscle tension and pain<\/li>\n
- Heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, and stroke<\/li>\n
- Sleep problems<\/li>\n
- Weight gain<\/li>\n
- Memory and concentration impairment.<\/li>\n
- Needless to say, doomscrolling is bad for you. Like other bad habits, it can be tough to break, but with some mindfulness and dedication, you can unlearn it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Unplug<\/h4>\n
The most obvious solution is to start at the source. Go on a walk, try some breathing practices, or do some other physical activity without your phone (or at least with your phone on airplane mode). Pay attention to your body and connect with yourself. If you\u2019re a night doomscroller, try to get into the habit of making the last thing you do before falling asleep not screen-related, like reading a book.<\/p>\n
Pay Attention to Your Responses<\/h4>\n
Part of the allure of doomscrolling is that there is a degree of mindlessness to it, like we\u2019re just letting the wave of misery crash over us with little to no resistance. Well, it\u2019s time to resist by being mindful. Again, from Cleveland Clinic:<\/p>\n
\u201cBe mindful of how a particular article makes you feel as you are scrolling by it,\u201d Dr. Albers suggests. \u201cNotice or observe the sensations in your body or your mind\u2019s response to the news.\u201d<\/p>\n
When you pay attention consciously to the bad feelings such as anxiety, agitation or stress, she says, it\u2019s more likely to motivate you to put on the brakes. \u201cThis,\u201d she adds, \u201cis your body\u2019s way of saying stop.\u201d<\/p>\n
Try writing down the emotions as you feel them. Not only will this get you off your phone for a bit, but it can help you understand your responses as they happen to better prepare you for the next time you feel them.<\/p>\n
Bring Yourself Back to the Present<\/h4>\n
In a way, doomscrolling is a way to avoid being present. It\u2019s a strange form of escapism, as we\u2019re escaping to distress, but it\u2019s a form nonetheless! Try to ground yourself in the present, whether through meditation exercises or mindfulness apps, or simply taking a moment to remember the things you do have control over. This can help you put things into perspective and feel empowered instead of drifting off to helplessness.<\/p>\n
Bad news isn\u2019t going away any time soon. For the sake of our mental health, our physical health, and our overall quality of life, it\u2019s time to take a breath, put the phone down, and take back our energy!<\/p>\n
\nAbout the author<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Sam Mani<\/strong> writes about work, creativity, wellness, and equity \u2014 when she\u2019s not cooking, binging television, or annoying her cat<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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