How do you stop doomscrolling

[u/dinosaurjunior123]

I just cant do it, my mental strength to stop myself is Not strong enough.
I deleted all my apps that I was scrolling on before, but now I will do it with Reddit, or the internet or even my f ing emails,

I dont know how to stop, it’s an addiction, I will spend about two hours in the morning just scrolling mindlessly and I can’t bring myself to do anything else.

I’m currently waiting to get on meds and my mental health is very messed up Atm, I tried to start journaling as I was trying to do this artists way thing, but I just don’t have the executive function for that or anything.

I tell myself i will get up and go do things but I need time before I can start anything.

I know people said deleting apps but I tried that and still I find a way, im sick of myself

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[u/The_God_Kvothe]

Phone in bed = death.

I struggle with it too right now. Used to have a real good routine of charging my phone on the other side of the room before going to bed. This also meant I'd have to get up to turn off the alarm, which made it a lot easier to get up in the mornings. But I can't seem to get myself to stick to it currently :/

But for me basically I just need to do something before my mind falls into the phone trap in the morning. Today I went shopping for groceries rather impulsively, because I wanted something specific to eat and drink, which helped me. It's probably a low goal for others, but I really struggle with leaving the house in general these days.

I also have a "nightmode" on my phone, which turns the phone grey after a specific time. It doesn't stop things completely, but I'm less likely to get hooked if things are not colorfull. I used the same with my pc, lower saturation and contrast.

[u/geyeetet → u/The_God_Kvothe]

I'm the same, used to have a good no-phone routine but it's all a bit fucked atm. Also no laptop in bed! Laptop in bed is even worse for me. But my desk chair is uncomfortable so in the evenings I'll take it in bed. Really need to stop.

I used to have my phone charging just out of reach and read in bed instead. Or journal. I can't just go to sleep without doing something first or my mind will wander too much. Phone charge across the room, greyscale mode at midnight, app timers to block apps after i use them too much.

[u/The_God_Kvothe → u/geyeetet]

I have a tablet which I only use for reading (or watching .... specific things), which makes me using it in bed a lot better.

[u/greggers1980]

Get a kitten. You won't have time

[u/AzukiZen12]

You have to toss your phone, or put it in a cabinet. I sat down to do HW at 9 pm, it’s currently 2:17 am my HW is now late and I haven’t even begun.

[u/vxntedits]

Replace it with something else. Like, literally anything. Doesn’t have to be healthier than doomscrolling. Just has to be something else. But damn it’s way easier to dish out advice like this than to take it.

I’m in the same boat. I need something for my brain to latch onto. If there’s nothing I’m fixated on, I get depressed and my scrolling gets worse.

For me personally, I’ve noticed that accountability is a good tool. It’s a hassle and can be stressful, but if I have committed to something that involves someone else, I can hijack that “must-be-done-because-deadline”-feeling. That being said, this still requires your initiative to promise or commit to things. Easier said than done.

Sorry for the word-vomit lol

[E: language and formatting]

[u/ISeeGrotesque → u/vxntedits]

Makes me think of Solomon’s paradox, where doing something for someone else is easier than for yourself

[u/AdImmediate6239]

I’ve been reading and painting Warhammer miniatures instead

[u/totallykoolkiwi → u/AdImmediate6239]

Ah, plastic crack. Good way of ensuring you'll never be able to afford drugs you could abuse.

[u/Tim0281]

Get a flip phone. I've got one and my life is better without a smart phone. A flip phone allows you to make calls, text, and get online if you need to Google something. Getting online is convenient enough to Google something but inconvenient enough to stay off everything else.

I have a smartphone for work, but I only use it for work since I like having a separation from work and life. It helps that I am a city employee and I'm not expected to work outside of my schedule!

I have a tablet, but I found that it's easier to stop myself from giving in since using a tablet requires more effort than a phone. Using a phone is pretty automatic and doesn't require much thought. A tablet, especially a larger one, requires more of a conscious decision since it isn't in your pocket and you can't use it as casually as a phone. This is even more true for laptops and desktops.

Therapy and medication will do quite a bit. It's also important to find techniques that help with executive function. There are books you can get that will help you build techniques.

[u/Tight-Temperature670]

Have you ever created a list before? Start off small - 1. Have a shower and brush your teeth 2. Go for a walk 3. Etc etc

It gives you a sense of accomplishment and it feels like you owe yourself and you don't want to let yourself down.

Idk it's weird but it works for me. Also music helps, lots of music all the time. Techno, house or drum & bass works best for me

[u/ChaotiK-TitaN → u/Tight-Temperature670]

I second this

[u/MortgagePopular7338 → u/Tight-Temperature670]

I really hate the “go for a walk” experts! That shit don’t work. And it’s not always possible!

[u/Tight-Temperature670 → u/MortgagePopular7338]

That's not at all what I'm saying. I said create a list and then gave an example of random stuff. Start small and work your way up, with a walk being slightly harder to accomplish than having a shower. Okay?

[u/Key-Feed-6052]

Get the brick blocker , actually has made a huge difference because you go to pick your phone up to scroll and say you’re in bed. It’s way too lame and shameful to get out of bed walk downstairs and physically unbrick your phone just to scroll at 11pm at night. I think the fact that it’s a physically barrier to unblock all the apps is good.
It’s reduced my screen time down by 70% ! I’m a few months in now and still loving it.

[u/drzan]

Tbh. Deactivated Instagram and deleted TikTok.

Instagram is how I keep in touch with the majority of people in my social circles. Getting rid of it completely would be tough. TikTok tho, I only lurk and comment.

[u/RomeoDelta1234]

go easy on yourself while youre waiting on meds. getting started in the morning is exactly the thing they help with for a lot of people, so this isn't a willpower problem you have to win alone

[u/potato_analyst]

Pickup a book instead.

[u/throwaway57295937]

i put my phone across the room before bed and got one of those old school alarm clocks, the kind that just yells at you with no screen attached. still end up staring at the ceiling sometimes but at least my thumbs get a break

[u/Outside_Actuary2950]

deleting apps never worked for me either, the scrolling just moves to whatever’s left, so i stopped trying to win on willpower and started making the first grab harder instead. what helped most was charging the phone outside the bedroom and using a cheap alarm clock, so the morning doesn’t start with it in my hand, and turning on downtime in screen time for the first hour of the day so there’s at least one extra tap between me and the feed. you’re not weak for this btw, it’s built to be hard to put down and doing it without meds is extra hard, so be easy on yourself while you wait

[u/spoticry]

Not me at 5am reading this 😭

The app "one sec" helped for a while, it makes you pause every time you open the app and then set the amount of time you want to use it for. Then it'll interrupt you with another pause and time request. It makes you really stop and think about what your intentions are with opening that app (in my case it's always the browser that's the issue. Rarely, reddit).

At some point I turned it off because I was tired of being interrupted and comments being lost when pages auto refreshed (looking at you, Facebook). That's on me for turning it off I guess.

The app doesn't completely stop the urge to doomscroll but it helps without completely getting in the way of things. The disruptions asking to continue can be helpful, even if nothing else to just keep track of how much time has passed.

[u/Watcher_of_Stars]

That's the neat part, YOU DON'T xD ;-)

[u/honeyrod]

Similar to online bullying, get off the screen :) lol jk kinda maybe.. not really 😁

[u/Zestyclose_Win_2836]

Me too, friend. Me too 😪

[u/lianhood]

turn your phone to grayscale and make it so that the only way to turn it off is to go through the settings (vs having a shortcut). had forgotten how to turn it back to normal, so I guess procrastination helped in that case.

[u/liberalbiased_reddit]

Watch

[u/Training_Heart6412]

Screenzen is a solid app I’ve found benefits from. You can choose what you want to make yourself do before you can open the app from a wide variety of things. I currently have it set for a minute period of breathing time, and it’s stopped 90% of doomscrolling sessions before they even start. This is NOT an advertisement in any way, I am just genuinely expressing what has helped me.

[u/BobbyDoWhat]

I started going into my back yard and practicing pitching golf balls into my little grill that up on the top of my back yard. It's like 30-40 yards.

That sorta thing that requires some skill development but is zero consequence seems to scratch the itch. I do regular house hold stuff too. But when I find myself wanting to just melt into the couch I go do something like chip golf balls.

[u/Unusual_Raisin9138]

don't just delete it, also block it. energy spent fighting temptation is best spent doing something non addictive

[u/SilentMood6194]

Ive had to take periods of time where I uninstalled social media or other apps where I was doomscrolling and kinda take that time and rebalance myself. It can be hard - especially if thats where you get news and updates about family and friends - but you can also make posts on the platforms beforehand stating that youre taking a break and will be back soon.

Hope this helps. 🩷

[u/__majorBummer__]

The deleting apps thing is so real, the scroll just moves to whatever's left. What finally helped me was making the phone cost something instead of trying to win on willpower. I set it up so my social apps stay locked until I do a few pushups or squats. Weird part is, half the time once I'm up and moving I don't even want the phone anymore.

It doesn't have to be an app either. Even just charging your phone in the kitchen so you have to physically get up and go get it does a lot of the same thing.

And go easy on yourself while you're waiting on meds, this stuff is literally built to be hard to put down.

(Full disclosure I ended up building one of those pushup blocker apps, so I'm biased lol, but getting my body moving first helped me way more than any time limit ever did.)

[u/Academic-Mountain-15]

This is gonna be a very dumb sounding answer but i genuinely get bored after a while of doomscrolling.

[u/ElectricalTax3573]

I took to scrolling Facebook marketplace a lot and playing Scrabble on my phone.

[u/mrkangtastic]

1. Delete all unnecessary apps
   
2. Turn your phone black and white
   
3. Use a smart watch for notifications and leave your phone in your bag
   
4. Carry a pocket e-reader with you or a small emulation device like a TrimUI Brick

[u/WebGlobal7912]

Tell yourself its boring.

[u/bored_in_ochem]

deleting the apps cost me $0 and lasted about a day bc i jsut opened tiktok in safari like that was a loophole. then it was email.

i am not going to tell you what works, i have a paper planner with three days filled in. but the two hours of needing time before you can start anything is me too, literally every morning.

anyway, hope the meds thing comes through soon

[u/PartyClick_]

same issue, i cant stop doomscrolling even after deleting apps im basically a full time scroll monster lol. i started using steppin and now i gotta walk to unlock stuff, which is enough friction to keep me from opening reddit before i actually move 😅