How To Stop Doomscrolling And Start Building A Self-Care Strategy For Social Media

Ever noticed how you feel after you’ve spent more time than usual on your phone? The practice of endlessly scrolling on social media and reading bad news is called doomscrolling and it can take its toll.

Scientific studies have found that increased screen time and consumption of the negative news agenda is eroding our mental health. But there are things you can do to look after yourself, says integrative mental health therapist Abby Rawlinson.

It might be one of the primary ways we stay connected, but too much time spent on social media can be damaging. Whether it’s sending us into a negative comparison spiral, spiking our anxiety, or giving us FOMO (fear of missing out), the time we spend scrolling is often detrimental to our mental health.

Simply deleting all of our social media accounts is unrealistic for many people. So how can we engage with social media in a healthy and mindful way? Here are some useful tips:

1. You’re In Control

Try not to look at posts that you know trigger your insecurities. If you’re comparing your appearance, lifestyle, or relationships to those perfect Instagram influencers, and it doesn’t make you feel good, it’s probably time to unfollow them. 

Remember: You are in control of your feed! Try following people and brands that give you positivity or value. Fill your feed with supportive mental health messages, body-positive accounts or cute pets – whatever makes you feel good. 

If you can’t unfollow someone because of work or friendship, you can use the mute button on Instagram to hide them from your feed, or you can ‘unfollow’ someone on Facebook while still remaining friends with them.

2. Be Intentional

Setting intentions for your social media usage can be really helpful if you feel like it’s taking a toll on your mental health. Instead of endlessly scrolling and getting trapped in a cycle of ‘compare and despair’, try to remember why you joined a social media platform in the first place.  

For example, maybe you only use Facebook to connect with friends and family or to send birthday wishes. Or perhaps you only use Twitter to connect with other professionals in your field or to express your thoughts on a topic that interests you. 

Being clear on your social media intentions can prevent infinite clicks and scrolling and ensure that you engage mindfully and with purpose.

3. Time It Right

Avoid looking at social media as soon as you wake up, and not after 9 pm. 

In the first 45 minutes after we wake, our cortisol (stress hormone) levels peak, making us more likely to feel anxious first thing in the morning.  

At night, the blue light from our phones can keep us awake because it suppresses the release of melatonin, a hormone that helps us feel tired.

4. Start With Small Changes

If you want to change your social media habits, start with tiny changes. 

B.J Fogg, a Stanford University researcher and author of the book ‘Tiny Habits’ notes that big behaviour changes require a high level of motivation that often can’t be sustained. He suggests starting with tiny habits to make the new habit as easy as possible in the beginning.

Switching off social media notifications in the evenings, for example, could be the beginning of a ‘no social media before bed’ habit. Or designating an hour each day where you’re committed to staying off social media could lead to significantly reducing your screen time. 

5. Follow People Like You (And Unlike You)

There is a term known as ‘symbolic annihilation’ which is the idea that if you don’t see similar people to you in the media you consume, you must somehow be invisible and unimportant. Representation matters and it carries real consequences.

Following people who have a similar body, skin or hair type can be empowering as it sends the message that you don’t have to conform to a certain image to be happy or to be worthy of belonging.

While it’s important to seek out a community online where you feel represented, it’s also important to follow people unlike you. Be mindful that the internet can create echo chambers and filter bubbles. This is when the algorithm learns from your search history or behaviour online and then strives to serve you things it thinks you want to see, which ends up reinforcing your world view but not necessarily challenging or expanding it.

Abby Rawlinson is an Integrative Therapist and the founder of Therapy with Abby specialising in helping Gen-X and Millennials who struggle with anxiety, imposter syndrome and low self-esteem. You can find her on Instagram @therywithabby.