Your nervous system can’t tell it’s “just news”
Scrolling often looks like relaxation in disguise. You’re usually sitting or lying down, probably with your feet up, often alone or sitting in companionable silence with others.
In moments we used to reach for a book, sneak in a quick power nap or take a beat to breathe and just be, we now instinctively reach for our phones. They’re designed to be addictive — all that colour and novelty, in the palm of your hand — and sometimes, a short scroll can leave you feeling mentally refreshed.
However, scrolling doesn’t always offer a nice respite from daily life — it actually often sends our nervous systems into stress. Unless you’ve carefully curated your feed, it’s likely full of crises, conflicts and hot takes. Even if you’re physically safe, your brain still activates its stress response when exposed to distressing news coverage. From a hormonal perspective, you might as well be in danger.
We’re not saying you should never scroll or check the news. Our brains and bodies are designed to cope with short bursts of stress. And whether we like it or not, scrolling is part of modern life.
But if you’re engaging in long doomscrolling sessions — and experiencing a lot of stress in other parts of your life — then chances are, your stress response is being activated far too often. This can lead to chronic stress, where your nervous system is constantly heightened. Over time, this may be linked to anxiety, low mood, poor sleep and physical issues like high blood pressure.
If this is resonating with you, you’re not alone. As mentioned earlier, scrolling is designed to be addictive. Fortunately, it’s never too late to change your habits. Scrolling is addictive, but there are ways to break its hold over you.
Awareness is the first step. Be honest with yourself about how addictive scrolling can be, and remind yourself that you’re not superhuman. Huge amounts of money are funnelled into making news and social media feeds hard to look away from — few people can break their scrolling habits through willpower alone.
Once you’ve admitted the power scrolling has over you, it’s time to build support systems. You might find it helpful to delete all addictive apps, use technology that blocks access to apps for certain times of the day, or mute notifications.
Think about how much time you spend scrolling. What could you do with those precious minutes or hours instead? Consider taking up a favourite hobby, setting a reading goal or spending more time with loved ones.
Remind your body that you are safe. Deep breathing, yoga, gentle walks, spending time in nature — these can all help your nervous system reset.
Screen addiction is real. If you need extra support, reach out to a trusted friend, family member or medical professional. There are all sorts of strategies available to help you — the most important thing to know is you don’t have to go through this alone.