The last few days have been quite distressing here in Canada. I don’t want to get into the details of what has been happening – feel free to check my Twitter. Suffice it to say that I found myself spending several days neglecting my business and not getting enough sleep, because I was so busy scrolling and retweeting. The last time I did this was around January 6th, 2021.

There’s a word for this kind of obsessive following of bad news on social media, especially Twitter – doomscrolling. It amplifies anxiety, and interferes with other tasks in life. It’s easy to fall down this kind of rabbit hole, and not always easy to get out. 

I did some research to see what psychologists suggest for breaking the doomscrolling cycle, and the advice was pretty consistent. Here are some of the most common suggestions.

1. Set boundaries – don’t start scrolling first thing in the morning. It really sets a bad tone for your day. Some people suggest setting up timers and blockers that actually prevent you from going on social media before 9 am. The same thing before bed – I have a reminder on my phone that tells me to get off Twitter a good hour before my bedtime, otherwise I may have trouble falling asleep.

2. Use mindfulness and gratitude – pay attention to how the content you are reading makes you feel. Becoming aware of anxiety can help you stop it. Remind yourself of the good things in your life, how much support and love you have around you. Breathe deeply.

3. Move your body. Put down the phone and go for a walk. Listen to music or an uplifting audiobook. Call a friend. Feed your mind and your body good things that help you feel better.

These are just some suggestions – there were others, but this seems to go to the heart of the helplessness and anxiety that both feed the doomscrolling habit and are fed by it.

I’d love to know what you do when you feel yourself spiraling down the bad news ramp!