Doomscrolling—the habit of endlessly consuming negative news—can seriously harm your mental well‑being. While staying informed is important, excessive screen time and exposure to stress-inducing content can fuel anxiety, disrupt sleep, and erode focusen.wikipedia.org+11verywellmind.com+11verywellhealth.com+11. Here are 10 evidence-based strategies to quit doomscrolling and reclaim your digital life.
1. Recognize the Habit
First, identify when doomscrolling happens. Is it before bed? During breaks? On your commute? Labeling this behavior helps you create boundaries.
2. Set Screen Time Limits
Use built‑in tools (iOS Screen Time, Android Digital Wellbeing) to cap app usage to 15–30 minutes daily. This provides structure and awarenesspsychologistmanjuantil.com.
3. Disable Notifications
Push alerts trigger you to open apps impulsively. Turn off news and social media notifications to reduce triggersapnews.com+12participaction.com+12wired.com+12.
4. Create Friction
Make doomscrolling harder. Delete apps or require a password each time. Even adding small barriers—like mini-games—can disrupt auto‑pilot scrollingpsychologistmanjuantil.com+5reddit.com+5cogbtherapy.com+5.
5. Schedule News Check-ins
Limit your news intake to two brief sessions a day: once in the morning, once in the early evening. Skip reactive updates from feedspsychologistmanjuantil.com.
6. Curate Your Feed
Unfollow or mute negative accounts. Replace them with positive, uplifting, or helpful sources like mental‑health or nature contentparticipaction.com.
7. Practice Mindful Scrolling
Pause before opening your phone. Check in: “Why am I doing this?” Slow the scroll, breathe between swipes, and catch your impulsesreddit.com+7health.clevelandclinic.org+7reddit.com+7.
8. Replace with Healthy Habits
Swap doomscrolling with alternative activities: a walk, journaling, tea, reading, puzzle-solving, or exercisepsychologistmanjuantil.com+15cogbtherapy.com+15manhattanmentalhealthcounseling.com+15.
9. Establish a Digital Detox Routine
Set “no screens” zones like bedtime and mornings. Charge your phone outside the bedroom and use night mode or grayscale filtersapnews.com.
10. Seek Support & Reflect
Talk with friends, set screen-time passcodes controlled by others, or try therapy/CBT to handle anxiety and impulse control.
Why These Methods Work
- Negativity bias draws us toward bad news, so we must actively rebalance our feed toward positive contentpsychologistmanjuantil.com+2manhattanmentalhealthcounseling.com+2en.wikipedia.org+2.
- Stimulus control helps avoid compulsive behavior by altering environment or routinespurewow.com+15cogbtherapy.com+15thescottishsun.co.uk+15.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) tools like thought-stopping and pacing slow down automatic behavior and challenge catastrophic thinkinghealth.clevelandclinic.org.
- Physical activity and mindfulness reduce stress and refresh mental focusparticipaction.com+1health.clevelandclinic.org+1.
20 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What is doomscrolling?
Continually consuming negative news or social media despite emotional harmsmartsocial.com+15en.wikipedia.org+15health.clevelandclinic.org+15. - Why is doomscrolling harmful?
It increases stress, anxiety, insomnia, inflammation, and can impair productivityreddit.com+15eatingwell.com+15en.wikipedia.org+15verywellhealth.com+1manhattanmentalhealthcounseling.com+1. - How much doomscrolling is too much?
If it disrupts sleep, mood, or daily tasks and lasts over 20–30 minutes per session, it’s excessive. - Can I still stay informed responsibly?
Yes—limit to once in the morning and evening, focusing on trusted sourcesreddit.comfreedom.toverywellmind.com+8psychologistmanjuantil.com+8purewow.com+8. - What app helps stop doomscrolling?
Tools like Forest, Freedom, OneSec, Brick, or ScreenBreak are effective blockersmanhattanmentalhealthcounseling.com+2reddit.com+2cogbtherapy.com+2thetimes.co.uk+2reddit.com+2reddit.com+2. - How to stop doomscrolling before bed?
Implement a one-hour screen curfew, use grayscale filters, and move your phone out of the bedroomapnews.com+1purewow.com+1. - What if I have ADHD?
Use hard blockers, scheduled downtime, and involve accountability partnersreddit.com. - Is deleting apps necessary?
Not always, but removing auto-login or storage of login info creates useful frictionwired.com+8purewow.com+8reddit.com+8. - How long will it take to break the habit?
Consistency over weeks leads to lasting change; habit reversal often solidifies after 30 days. - What if I relapse?
Be kind to yourself. Identify the trigger and revisit coping tools—journaling, mindfulness, physical activity. - Can mindfulness help?
Absolutely. Practices like breathing, pausing, and meditation foster awareness and reduce automatic scrolling. - Are notifications really that big a deal?
Yes—redirected attention from every buzz/deepening screen engagement without intenteatingwell.com+15smartsocial.com+15freedom.to+15verywellmind.com+14freedom.to+14psychologistmanjuantil.com+14. - What’s a digital detox?
A scheduled break from screens to refresh. Recommended for evenings, weekends, or specific periodsverywellhealth.com+4verywellmind.com+4health.clevelandclinic.org+4. - Can CBT help with doomscrolling?
Yes. Thought-stopping, stimulus control, and replacing behaviors are CBT staplesthescottishsun.co.uk+15cogbtherapy.com+15eatingwell.com+15. - How do I track screen time?
Use built-in device trackers, widgets, or apps like Forest to monitor and set remindersthescottishsun.co.uk+2reddit.com+2thetimes.co.uk+2. - Should I unfollow negative accounts?
Definitely. Curating positive or neutral feeds improves mood and reduces triggersmanhattanmentalhealthcounseling.com. - Can physical activity help?
Yes—exercise, walks, or stretching boost mood and distract from screensreddit.com+5participaction.com+5eatingwell.com+5. - Is grayscale mode effective?
Very. Diminishing app visuals reduces dopamine-driven engagementreddit.comreddit.com. - How to start a healthy night routine?
Read a book, take a bath, journal, or set up a tech-free wind‑down hour before bed. - When should I seek help?
If anxiety, sleep, or daily function are impaired, consult a mental health professional.
Final Thoughts
Doomscrolling isn’t just a habit—it’s a challenge to mental balance in a digital age. But with intention and consistent tactics, you can move from reactive scrolling to mindful living. Start small—maybe disable notifications today, try a 15-minute screen break, or use grayscale mode tonight. Over time, these micro-changes add up to a healthier, calmer digital experience.
You’ve got this. 💪
