End the Doomscrolling Cycle

Simple ways to replace your mindless scrolling habit 

by Lea Tran

Photo by Emma Almaraz

With the school year starting up again, I always try to set new goals. My main change this year has definitely been the hardest: learning how to stop doomscrolling.

Doomscrolling refers to the action of continually scrolling and consuming social media content that is often depressing or worrying. More broadly, people use it as a blanket term of being consumed by our phones, no matter what we’re seeing.

Although social media has its benefits of keeping us informed and connected, doomscrolling feels like the worst element to come with it. I can’t put my phone down even when I’m flipping through apps whose content I don’t even care about. Why am I mindlessly tapping through Instagram stories when I don’t take the time to actually look through and engage with the posts?

For me, doomscrolling is a distraction that adds to my stress instead of solving it. Since the start of the year and throughout summer, I’ve come up with a few strategies to help break the cycle of scrolling and use social media more intentionally.

1. Pick up a hobby

Yes, it sounds daunting, but finding an activity you enjoy that doesn’t require being on social media is the best kind of distraction and entertainment. In my case, I’ve picked up reading and puzzles again. Every time I get the itch to scroll, I force myself to read at least one chapter of a book. If I finish a chapter, then I allow myself to go on TikTok or Instagram for a few minutes. But most of the time, I’m so intrigued by the book I just keep reading.

Puzzles and other crafts are also great because they keep your hands busy. When I had downtime over the summer, I’d spend some time on whatever jigsaw puzzle I had out at the moment. You also feel a wave of satisfaction whenever you complete your project, whether that’s a puzzle, craft or crochet item.

2. Walk around

If the weather allows and you need to fill the time or take a break, pop in your earbuds and take a walk. Whether it’s up and down the block or a real hike, walking clears the mind. While you walk, you can’t really be on your phone, so it forces you to tuck it away and take in your surroundings. It’s a great way to reset, especially in the midst of a chaotic transition period, and you’re getting some exercise, too.

3. Talk to someone

A very easy and simple alternative to a habit that is often isolating: engaging with someone. Hang out with a friend or call a family member. It’s tough to scroll when you’re in good company. This can be the hardest tip to implement, since everyone has busy schedules. But if you and your friends want to cure your doomscrolling addiction, the answer might be right in front of you.

Obviously, these three alternatives aren't going to make the itch disappear overnight, but they’re a step in the right direction, and a way to connect with what’s in front of us instead of drowning in a screen.