How to stop ‘doomscrolling’

From social media videos on the deadly plane crash in Louisville to posts on wars or politics, constantly reading or seeing troubling things can take a toll on your mental health.

It’s become a way to fill time and sometimes a person doesn’t even realize how much time they’re spending on a device.

“Unfortunately, doomscrolling has become a very common and unhealthy practice in our society,” Clinical psychologist Adam Borland said.

Borland says constantly looking at disturbing and anxiety-provoking material on social media takes a toll on mental health.

Too much exposure can fuel stress and lead to increased anxiety, low mood, sleep disturbances, irritability, and it can even create problems at home or work.

“Oftentimes, people complain about losing long periods of time scrolling through their phone because it becomes addictive,” Borland said.

To stop yourself from doomscrolling, Borland says to start with mindfulness, focus on the present moment, establish healthy boundaries on when and when not to use devices, monitor which sites you follow and how they affect your mood, stress, and anxiety levels.

Borland says it may be time to unfollow some of those accounts. He also says to have a support system of people that can help during a hard time.

Finally, he says to put the device down and instead fill your time with exercise, getting outdoors or engaging in something creative.

“It’s important for people to remember that they have a choice in all of this. They have a choice as to how much upsetting content they’re accessing, and when they have that choice, that comes with a sense of control,” Borland said.