Breaking Free from Doomscrolling: How to Stay Informed Without Overwhelm
The world feels heavy right now. Wars in Ukraine and Gaza, political tensions in the U.S. with global ripple effects, and economic instability to name a few. It feels like every time we open our phones, we’re met with another wave of devastating news. In times like these, it’s easy to fall into a cycle of ‘doomscrolling’—endlessly consuming distressing news and social media updates, hoping to stay informed but instead feeling more anxious, helpless, and disconnected.
While it’s natural to want to stay updated and informed, constant exposure to high-emotion news can take a toll on our mental health. Some people are choosing to abstain from the news and social media entirely. If that’s your choice and it’s working for you, great! But, you don’t have to disengage entirely to protect your well-being. By being mindful of how you consume information, you can stay informed without feeling emotionally flooded.
The Psychology Behind Doomscrolling
Doomscrolling is not just a bad habit—it’s a survival instinct gone into overdrive. Our brains are wired to scan for threats, a function meant to keep us safe (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). In today’s digital world, this means endlessly scrolling for updates, even when they add little new information. Research shows that prolonged exposure to distressing news can increase anxiety, stress, and even symptoms of trauma (Thompson et al., 2022).
Social media intensifies this effect. Unlike traditional news sources, social media presents information algorithmically—meaning that the more we engage with certain content, the more we are shown of it (Pennycook & Rand, 2021). This creates an echo chamber where it feels like the entire world is in crisis every moment of the day.
Strategies to Break Free from Doomscrolling
If you’ve found yourself stuck in this cycle, you’re not alone! Here are some strategies to help you stay informed while maintaining emotional balance:
1. Set Time Limits for News Consumption ⏰
Instead of checking updates throughout the day, set designated times for news consumption. Perhaps 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes at the end of the day. Using screen time apps (e.g., One Sec, Freedom, Moment, Opal, Apple Screen Time) or using a timer can help create boundaries.
2. Curate Your Information Sources 📰
Consider swapping out social media and emotionally charged news for lower-intensity sources like:
News websites over social media feeds (e.g., CBC, BBC, Reuters)
Daily news digests (e.g., email newsletters that summarize major headlines)
Fact-based, non-sensational sources - avoid sources that use fear-driven headlines or alarmist tones. Consider: Reuters, Associated Press, CBC News, BBC News, The Economist, NPR, PBS NewsHour, The Conversation, AllSides, Snopes
3. Notice When You’re in a Reaction Loop 🔁
Pay attention to when you’re not actually learning new information but instead reacting emotionally to the same headlines or content. If you find yourself scrolling without absorbing anything new, that’s a sign to step away.
4. Monitor Your Emotional and Physical Responses 🤢🤬😱
Check in with your body. Are you clenching your jaw? Feeling restless? Dissociating (i.e., losing touch with your surroundings)? Noticing these cues can help you recognize when it’s time to disengage and do something grounding, like deep breathing, stretching, or holding something tangible like a warm drink.
5. Use Grounding and Somatic Techniques 🧘🏻♀️
If news consumption leaves you feeling flooded, try:
5-4-3-2-1 Grounding: Name 5 things you see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you hear, 2 things you smell, and 1 thing you taste.
Movement: A short walk or some stretching can help reset your nervous system.
Breathing exercises to calm the nervous system: Try inhaling for 4, holding for 4, exhaling for 8, repeat 5 times. Focus on the counting or repeat “in” when breathing in, and “out” when breathing out.
6. Replace Doomscrolling with Recharging Activities 🔋
Instead of passively consuming distressing news, swap in activities that leave you feeling more restored than drained:
Reading a book
Crafting or creative hobbies
Listening to music or a podcast
Spending time with loved ones
What else comes to mind?
7. Lean Into Safe, Real-World Connections 👭
When the world feels overwhelming, it helps to remind ourselves that there is still goodness, safety, and connection in the world. Seek out community spaces that affirm this. Consider a faith group, a volunteer organization, a hobby club, or simply spending quality time with friends or family.
8. Get Clarity on What You Can and Cannot Control
Feeling powerless in the face of global events is normal. Using the Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) technique of Radical Acceptance (Linehan, 1993) can help shift focus from what we can’t change to what we can do. This might mean:
Setting healthy news boundaries
Engaging in self-care
Taking small advocacy actions that align with your values (e.g., donating, volunteering, writing to officials)
What else is within your control?
9. Use ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) Choice Points
ACT’s Choice Point model (Harris, 2009) encourages recognizing when we’re acting in ways that take us toward or away from our values. If doomscrolling is pulling you away from feeling grounded, consider what a values-aligned action could look like instead.
Final Thoughts
It’s understandable to feel overwhelmed in a time of global crisis. You’re not alone! While it can be important to stay informed, it’s equally important to protect your mental and emotional well-being. By being intentional about how we consume news, grounding ourselves in our bodies and our values, and seeking real-world connections, we can find balance even in turbulent times.
If you find yourself struggling with anxiety related to world events, therapy can be a helpful space to process and develop coping strategies. You don’t have to navigate this alone. 💕
References
Harris, R. (2009). ACT made simple: An easy-to-read primer on acceptance and commitment therapy. New Harbinger Publications.
Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. Springer.
Linehan, M. M. (1993). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder. Guilford Press.
Pennycook, G., & Rand, D. G. (2021). The psychology of fake news. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 25(5), 388-402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2021.02.007
Thompson, R. R., Jones, N. M., Holman, E. A., & Silver, R. C. (2022). Media exposure to mass violence events can fuel a cycle of distress. Nature Human Behaviour, 6(3), 375-385. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-022-01263-6