• Doomscrolling (7 of 7)

  • Jan 27 2025
  • Length: 3 mins
  • Podcast

Doomscrolling (7 of 7)

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  • Summary

  • Want more tips and tricks? (⁠click here⁠) Hi! Today, we’re taking a look at the vicious cycle of doomscrolling. That’s where you try to find something positive on the internet to relieve your anxiety, only to find more and more bad news, which makes you even more anxious and stressed. In our last lesson, we talked about where to go instead of doomscrolling, and today we’ll look at your new life without the negative habit. You’ve had a whole week to break your habit—have you succeeded? If you’re not quite there yet, don’t beat yourself up. It takes time to break an unhealthy habit and substitute a healthy one instead. You might need a month or more to fully rid yourself of the doomscrolling habit. Just remember our tips and tricks and keep plugging away. You’ll get there! In the beginning, creating boundaries with your phone and the news may feel weird and difficult. Give it time and you (as well as your “lizard brain”) will become used to the new reality. Dr. Aditi Nerurkar, a Harvard physician, reminds us that “It’s easy to quell something that you’ve been doing for two weeks, but it’s more difficult to quell something you’ve been doing for five months—or for years. But the brain is better than any smartphone out there. It is always adapting and evolving and responding to its external cues so what you focus on grows. Over time there will be a difference.” Find ways to stay connected with the important people in your life. Virtual visits may not be as satisfying as real ones, but they are connections, and you need those more than ever now. And while you’re keeping those important relationships alive, don’t forget to take care of yourself as well. It may sound cliché, but self-care is just as important as maintaining your social support system. Make sure you’re participating in activities you enjoy and taking time to pursue your hobbies. Discover new hobbies as well—there’s no time like the present to learn something new. If you find you’re struggling with time, try creating a schedule for yourself. Actually put your hobby or activity onto your calendar and “make a date” with yourself to have fun. Another way to take care of yourself is to seek help if you need it. If your doomscrolling habit has made you anxious and depressed, find a good therapist who uses cognitive behavioral therapy techniques. This is a practice where you learn to replace unhealthy thoughts and habits with healthy ones, which is exactly what you need to do with doomscrolling. A good therapist doesn’t judge, but only helps you clarify your own thoughts and feelings and make some healthier decisions in your life. You can find a good therapist by checking the local online white pages, then calling to see whether they use cognitive behavioral therapy or not. You can also contact the National Institute of Mental Health or check out their very informative website. You can also try group therapy designed for busy people with too much stress, or seek out a psychiatrist. You probably don’t need medication if your anxiety and stress are caused by doomscrolling, but if you do need it, give it a shot and see whether it will work for you. Just make sure you ask your doctor to avoid anything habit-forming because you certainly don’t want to replace one unhealthy habit with another one! Your life after doomscrolling can be a positive, healthy one if you put the effort into making it so. Follow our tips and you’ll soon see what we’ve been talking about. You’ll feel more in control of your life and feel much better about yourself. In time, you’ll be able to put down the phone or computer and walk away from the bad news. You’ll get your news from reliable sources that are relevant to your life and ignore the doomscrolling click-bait that social media often throws your way. #wupples #wuppleshealth #health #swipeleft #swipe
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