Is anyone else “into” doomscrolling on the internet? This habit is time-wasting and depressing, but I can’t seem to stop. I’m looking at the news items on the internet (usually upon waking up and still in bed) and then several articles about young people dying young of horrible diseases etc etc crop up and I can’t stop reading them. One story leads into another and so - half an hour or more later - I’m still reading through experiences of poor, unfortunate people. I know it’s a bad habit, but I find these stories addictive, depressing and, as I suffer from health anxiety, this ultimately makes me feel worse, putting me into a negative start to the day. How can I stop it? I feel so badly for the poor victims of these stories and find myself thinking of how I and my family would cope if we had a loved one dying of a terminal disease, such as the ones I read about. Terrible things happen, I know - but I can’t seem to put things into perspective.
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Doomscrolling
(23 Posts)Hi Honey it’s not called doomscrolling for nothing! Could you perhaps not look for other topics that interest you so that the algorithm doesn’t keep sending you sad stories.
Nothing will change unless you change it.
Good luck.
Do you have happy things in your life going on?
Tbh, I dont understand what you are doing.
I know someone in rl with health anxiety? Fear of germs?[is that the same thing], and I dont know how to help her.
Well, I have tried several ways, but she still has it.
Honeyrose, your health anxiety is self-inflicted. You're doing this knowing it damages your own mental health.
Ask yourself why you need to make yourself into another poor sad sick victim. What's the reward ?
Is it attention , pity, sympathy, medical treatment?
I don't need to know why you're doing this to yourself. You do.
Change what you react to and the algos might bring better content.
I haven’t seen anything like that. There is enough doom just watching political commentary these days !
You would be much better picking something you like . I follow several animal rescue people and a historical one and also a physio who updates his exercises every day.
Maremia
Change what you react to and the algos might bring better content.
This is good advice from Maremia, ignore the doom stories, click on a few happy things or things that are not triggering, things like an owl being rescued or a new trend in hairstyles or something and soon you will see lots of these types of stories appearing on your screen.
I do this too, but for a huge range of different stuff. I read a story and then get loads of other stories which I then read which then triggers me to start doing searches for interesting things I have found in the stories (nearly all irrelevant to my life!)
For example, the other day I was reading a news story about how low in water certain reservoirs were. This prompted me to find out where UK reservoirs are situated and details about each.
I waste a lot of time.
You need to scroll by when you see a sad story. I always do now as I know it's not helpful to anybody if I read it. Try to do this for a few days and see if you feel better.
There is enough gloom on the news without chasing more.
It does all become not only very depressing and distressing but a bit addictive!
If I find myself doing this I move my phone somewhere and go off and do something in another room!
Good luck 
AGAA4
You need to scroll by when you see a sad story. I always do now as I know it's not helpful to anybody if I read it. Try to do this for a few days and see if you feel better.
There is enough gloom on the news without chasing more.
💕
Desdemona
I do this too, but for a huge range of different stuff. I read a story and then get loads of other stories which I then read which then triggers me to start doing searches for interesting things I have found in the stories (nearly all irrelevant to my life!)
For example, the other day I was reading a news story about how low in water certain reservoirs were. This prompted me to find out where UK reservoirs are situated and details about each.
I waste a lot of time.
I do this, Desdemona, have to find the answers to questions that arise.
Let's call it research 🙂
🤔 now where are all these reservoirs ad how full are they?
honeyrose can you find a topic that interests you that is not quite so depressing and spend time going down that rabbit hole instead? I was going to suggest your family history but perhaps that might be depressing in parts as most are.
Google "advice to stop doomscrolling".
Ultimately it seems to come down to, changing some settings on your phone/computer, and self control.
A lot of it is to do with the algorithms that are set up every time you click on something that interests you. One of the reasons the Internet is such a hotbed of advertising, con tricks, propaganda and disinformation is that suggestibility is built into the human mind.
The techno-heads invented a way to monitor what individuals look at most often online, then they invented a way to push that stuff back at us (relentlessly and in many guises), and bingo! The hook is in the fish's mouth.
The only way to get rid of this habit is to go cold turkey. Say to yourself, "From 4pm this afternoon, I refuse to open a website I know is bad for me."
It's mind over matter - if you refuse to open the page, the words and images can't seep into your head. (This is where I get shot down in flames by proponents of the "passive psychology" theory!). But hey, I never said it'd be easy! 
I think everyone doomscrolls you see them all the time on the bus, in the restaurants,in the hospital waiting room, mums more interested in their phones than their babies how sad is that.
I never see any.
Because I have all adverts and cookies off?
Try to find 'Simon's Cat'. Hilarious and more true to life than anything else posted
fancythat
Google "advice to stop doomscrolling".
Ultimately it seems to come down to, changing some settings on your phone/computer, and self control.
That’s rich coming from Google. The company that has not long been fined for selling on your details 😂
AGAA4
You need to scroll by when you see a sad story. I always do now as I know it's not helpful to anybody if I read it. Try to do this for a few days and see if you feel better.
There is enough gloom on the news without chasing more.
They…arnt…..true. Hard to believe, I know 🤷♀️
That’s why these reels have names in the tech world.
Grief tech
The digital afterlife industry.
I love this one; Emotional lock in.
Like JenniRen and Desdemona I spend a lot of time down rabbit holes. At the moment it's the American Mid-Terms and there is nothing more depressing than American politics, not even UK politics.
But it's true that you can get rid of the sad stories by changing the algorithm. Do a search for something you enjoy, like animals maybe. There are some glorious videos of elephant sanctuaries for instance - nothing like watching baby elephants to cheer you up. There are sad stories of poaching to avoid, but the rescues are cheering. Or cats or dogs. Wild animals. Birds. Sewing. Knitting.
Your algorithm is in your hands.
This is the only doom scrolling you should be watching 😂
www.facebook.com/reel/1423707381984418
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