Dear Community,
California sure is the Golden State, at least in August and September. The sun is out, the weather is warm, and the hills are truly golden. During this time families get back to the school routine, nights are a little warmer, and summer travelers enjoy trips locally and abroad.
A topic that has been on my mind and in my practice often is the complicated relationship we have with smart phones. Given this is an expansive topic, I will discuss specifically the act of doomscrolling and how it is affecting our emotional wellbeing. Whether it is first thing in the morning to check the news, before work to catch up on social media, or on break when we have a few minutes for downtime, it always seems we are reaching for our phones. Even those with the best intentions to be mindful of how they spend their screen time, end up caught up in the algorithm of their phone.
To be clear, I do believe there are many ways in which smart phones add to our lives—it is the unchecked portion that is negatively impacting emotional wellness. It is increasingly clear that a certain type of screen time is having a direct impact on mental health, and not in a positive direction. In this newsletter I want to define doom scrolling, label some of the negative impacts, and share some tools for taking control of your relationship with your phone.
A larger discussion on the pros and cons of the internet and smart phones (albeit very important) is beyond the scope of this letter today.
What is the reality?
A formal definition:
Doomscrolling: defined as "unintentional" or habit-driven screen time focused on negative news or mindless stimulation.
Here are the facts:
Americans log an average of 5 hours per day on their smart phones.
Adults average 2-2.5 hours on social media each day (teens average double that, and seniors about half).
Adults spend an average of 42 minutes per day doomscrolling. And over 40% admit to doing it daily, if not multiple times per day.
Why is Doomscrolling making me feel bad?
Doomscrolling can cause a repeated physiological stress response.This ongoing process of stress activation over time can cause a steady dissolution of emotional wellbeing.On top of that, the more we do it, the more our brain wants to do it, even when it is not actually rewarding us. Whether it’s body image issues, political fear, social unrest, ecological fear, etc… all of this doomscrolling that goes unchecked is accounted for in our nervous system.Anxiety is increased, irritability is increased, fear and paranoia is increased, obsessive rumination is increased, self hatred is increased—all from doomscrolling on a smart phone.
If I quit doomscrolling, will I feel better?
Specifically, in my practice, I find that mental health issues exist separately from doomscrolling, but that they can be measurably exacerbated by the act of doomscrolling. Videos and images of horrific events, unrealistic body images, dark material, etc…(real and AI) are not much different than in-person viewing to our nervous system. When one thinks about this, the exposure to damaging material becomes quite real.
The GOOD NEWS is that when my clients step back, pause, or ‘hard stop’ this mindless doomscrolling experience they are noticing measurable improvements rather quickly in their sense of wellbeing and mental health.
That is the reason I am writing this today. Not to create fear, but to acknowledge that so many of us are suffering and to some extent more than is necessary. There are ways to feel better, and regain control, and it can start here.
How do I get started?
Just Stop
One of the best ways to clear your head and to decide how you want to handle your algorithm is to make a hard stop to whatever app(s) that are controlling your time and your emotional state. I encourage you to make a goal for a month. During that time, take note of the pros and cons to stepping away. From there, decide if you want to add it back into your life and in what way.
Relocate or delete the application
Some people want to cut back and are not ready to go ‘cold turkey’. One tip for reducing doomscrolling is to move the applications that are in question onto a page of their own. If that does not work, delete the app and only allow yourself to sign on from a computer. This will definitely cut back on frequency and duration.
Limit your time
Set an alarm for no more than 5-10 minutes. Never let yourself scroll for extended periods of time.
Avoid before bed
Doomscrolling before bed can not only interfere with your sleep pattern, it can also leave you feeling your worst just before a time to rest and restore.
Plug it in and step away
Creating time away from your phone can remind you what is important and creates restorative opportunities. Every evening, I plug my phone in and step away for at least a few hours. During this time I focus on being present and connecting with my family. If you think about it, there are very few reasons to be next to our phones all the time.
Get picky
If you are someone who likes to stay informed but you are currently inundated with too much information I encourage you to pick one or two news outlets you feel akin with and subscribe to their newsletters. Avoid their social media feed and other apps that insert “TMI” without your informed consent. Avoid disturbing images and videos. Stick with text whenever you can. And then limit your news intake to this platform. That way you will stay informed and avoid some of the additional unnecessary harmful exposure.
Stay focused
What about creating a social media page that is strictly about your hobby? If you love cooking, focus on that and avoid straying. There are innumerable ideas in this regard that can be rewarding and minimally detrimental. It takes mindfulness and intention, but you can create a focused algorithm that promotes wellbeing and creativity. If you try this, make a committment to check in with yourself weekly. How is it going? Is this working? Am I staying focused on my wellbeing?
In closing, I recognize that today we have only scratched the surface of an increasingly important and relevant topic.I hope the take away is that we have more control of our wellbeing than we may realize. I would love to hear if you decide to take some of these steps to cut back or to delete doomscrolling all together. Let me know what works, what does not, and how it made you feel. Remember, sometimes the first step is the hardest.
Please remember, we can always discuss this further. I have more tools and interventions to support you in creating a healthier relationship with your phone.
Until then, take care and be well!
Warmly,
Cynthia Psaila, LMFT 83299