Hello,

Wow, I am so glad I emailed you all asking about how you are taking care of yourselves and how you have dealt with the terrible behavioral spiral that is doom scrolling. Hearing that many of you struggle with the same thing made me feel so much less alone. Also, I got so many great answers full of advice that I'm going to share, because I think more people can benefit from the advice of the collective!

Some of your best advice:

• What’s helped me stopped doom scrolling is literally deleting the apps off my phone and then reinstalling when I sit down to post for my job, check msgs etc. Then I delete it again. It’s just enough of a pain in the ass to reinstall that I don’t do it to scroll, but I DO do it when I have to work.

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• Fellow doom scroller here. I feel like I've been able to make a significant dent in it lately though! I deleted social media apps from my phone, if I want to scroll I have to access them in the browser which is definitely a less pleasant experience. I tried cutting myself off from social media entirely and I couldn't ever go longer than a few days. But this method makes it just unpleasant enough that it's harder to scroll without really thinking about what you're doing.

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• Having a set time to check news/social media and limiting the time (10-30 minutes). When I get the itch to check things not in the allotted time, I take that as a sign to go for a walk, read, meditate, or call a friend instead. What I'm usually looking for is something social or an input of information! The feeling to check usually passes.

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• I've moved some of my social media use away from platforms like Facebook and Instagram and over to private Discord servers that have dedicated politics channels where political talk is quarantined. And I've been leaving my phone at home sometimes when I go for walks. And when I hike, I keep my phone in my backpack where I cannot even look at it.

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• I decided on a timeframe that I didn't want to scroll. For me that's during the work day. So at the beginning of the work day, I uninstall fb and Instagram. That still allows plenty of doom scrolling time but I'm not also kicking myself in the knees. Also in the morning right when I wake up I always ask myself "what matters to me today?" and take time to think of a few things before doing anything else like unlocking my phone. Often I realize that what matters to me is not as achievable if I decide to look at my phone next.

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• A few months back, I also started using screen time limits to keep certain apps unavailable to me until after noon. This has helped IMMENSELY. Not being on Instagram or TikTok until my day has had a chance to get started has been transformative. I have more “good days” now. Allowing my day to start zoomed in on my immediate surroundings and not on the world as a whole is so helpful. If you have a iPhone, I used the built-in options on the iPhone. I set downtime from 10:30 PM to noon the next day and made sure all the social apps were included (not added to the Always Allowed list). Additionally, I made an App Limit for particular apps (ahem, TikTok and Instagram) that limits me to 2 hours a day.

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• The only thing that's helped me is using an app blocker (I use this one...it's pretty affordable for full functionality, and I find it works really well. It also has a browser extension, so you can use it on your computer as well as your phone). Unfortunately I don’t have the willpower to resist the tech overlords and their addicting algorithms, no matter how much I try to add good things to my life, so app block in strict mode is the only way to go for me right now. And, about a week ago, I reduced my screen time to zero for the next two months, with occasional quick check-ins, and no way to change those settings. After the killing of CK, I just couldn’t do it anymore, and I finally realized that the only way I was going to be able to do all the things I need to do to take care of myself was to cut myself off completely. And, so far, it’s been exactly the change I needed. I’m getting more care tasks and chores done in the evenings, I’m going to bed earlier, and I’m processing my emotions so much better.

And finally, this absolute hero's answer:

• December of 2024 I decided to go “sober” from social media for a full calendar year. I have to say, it has fundamentally changed my life, and the way I experience both my community, and the world at large. For context: I have kept my subscription to the NYT and allowed myself to use LinkedIn for my current job search. I also see really jarring headlines in the Microsoft news bar of my work laptop sometimes. There is a whole entire world on the internet, of course, but there is an equally engaging world in real life (you might have to detox by going cold turkey for a few days to start to understand/feel better). You can start by filling your hands with something else that is Lo-fi instead of your phone, like knitting or drawing or reading or journaling or playing cards or games or solitaire. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that I picked up Uno Flip the same year I quit social media.

The very public nature of my work means I can't quit social media entirely, not at this time, but damn, a girl can dream. And it is so cool to hear from someone who is doing it.

A few other recommendations from folks related to meditation, which is one of my self-care goals:

​The Chani App from Chani Nichols- The #1 astrology app for manifestation, self-discovery, mindfulness, and healing.

​Tara Brach's podcast- offers weekly guided meditations and talks that integrate Western psychology and Eastern spiritual practices to promote mindfulness, self-compassion, and spiritual awakening.

And this advice: Just know you will never get rid of all your thoughts, just think of them like the CNN scroll at the bottom of the TV screen - they are there, but you don't have to give them attention.

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What I'm personally doing, as soon as I send this email, is using the Apple IPhone tools to limit my access to apps. If you want to join me, here's how:

1. Open Settings: Find and tap the Settings app on your iPhone's home screen.
2. Go to Screen Time: Scroll down and tap on Screen Time.
3. Select App Limits: Tap on App Limits to view and manage your app usage.
4. Add a New Limit: Tap on Add Limit.
5. Choose Apps or Categories: Select the app categories or individual apps you want to limit. You can tap a category name to see all the apps within it.
6. Set the Time: Tap Next at the top right.
7. Set the Time Duration: Choose the amount of time you want to allow for the selected apps. You can also tap Customize Days to set specific limits for different days of the week.
8. Finish: Tap Done to apply your new app limit.

If that doesn't work, I will download and pay for App Block. ​

I hope this advice is helpful for anyone else who needs it. Thank you to everyone who contributed!

xo

E

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