Endlessly scrolling on your phone to decompress?
The habit known as doomscrolling may actually be doing more harm than good.
“Doomscrolling is when you’re so intensely focused on social media that it becomes problematic. You lose time, and you lose a sense of clarity in terms of what you’re actually reading and how it’s affecting you,” explained Adam Borland, PsyD, a psychologist with Cleveland Clinic.
Dr. Borland said doomscrolling can fuel stress, anxiety and even disrupt sleep.
To avoid this, setting screen time limits you can stick to is key.
He suggests starting with realistic goals and using an alarm to signal when your screen time is up.
After the alarm goes off, try to do something more positive for your mental health, like going for a walk or starting a new hobby.
When enjoying your screen time, Dr. Borland said to be mindful of how you’re feeling.
“You need to check in with yourself. As you begin scrolling, are you noticing you’re getting a headache, muscle tension or just not feeling well? It’s important to recognize when your body is trying to communicate something to you,” Dr. Borland said.
If you do start feeling off, Dr. Borland recommends switching up the content you’re watching or taking a break from your phone.