By Leo Babauta

I think at this point, I don’t need to explain what “doomscrolling” is — but just in case, we might say that it’s the act of compulsively scrolling through social media and negative news, to the detriment of our mental health and happiness.

I’ve heard from so many people who are trying to quit this habit, which often happens on your phone but also on the computer … it can be tough to quit!

But it’s possible to break the cycle. Here are some ways to do it:

1. Notice you’re doomscrolling. What apps or websites cause you to keep scrolling and make you feel worse? Identify specific ones, and then notice when you’re turning to them. Catch yourself just as you’re opening them up, or if you miss that moment, catch yourself as you’re scrolling. Just note it, without judgment: “Oh, I’m doing that thing, interesting!”

2. Notice what’s present for you. Become a scientist studying your habits, instead of being judgmental — notice what emotion or thoughts are there as you turn to your usual doomscrolling. How are you feeling? Bored, anxious, overwhelmed, frustrated, stressed, scared? Just notice that this is a coping mechanism for that feeling.

3. Set some clear boundaries. It can help to be clear with yourself — are there certain apps or sites that you want to block altogether for a certain period (a week, a month)? Maybe you want to limit yourself to a certain amount of time each day, like an hour a day. Or maybe you want to just do it at a certain time of day, like when you get home from work, for 30 minutes, to unwind. Figure out what you think will work for you, and give it your best commitment.

4. Find a new coping mechanism. It’s not helpful to just remove a coping mechanism — we need to find a replacement. Some way to cope with the emotion coming up. If you turn to doomscrolling when you’re feeling boredom or stress (for example), then you need a new way to deal with that boredom or stress. For example: go for a walk, stretch, do some pushups, journal, meditate, talk to a friend, knit, do some deep breathing exercises, create art, etc. When you notice the feeling, practice the new coping mechanism.

5. Find new sources of joy. Removing pleasures from our life can leave us with a dull, grey life. So instead, find new ways to enjoy your life: appreciating nature, learning about history, playing games, listening to great music, seeing the wonder in the mundane, etc.

6. Be compassionate if you “mess up.” When people try to quit doomscrolling, often they’ll get sucked in despite their best intentions. It happens! The problem is that they will then be harsh on themselves, which is discouraging. Then they will eventually give up the effort to quit doomscrolling, because of the discouragement. That’s not an effective way to quit something — we need to be compassionate if we get sucked back in, but then determined to get back on track.

OK, as you might see, it’s not a simple task to quit something like doomscrolling. It serves a function for a need in our lives, and quitting requires that we bring awareness to that need and find another way to meet the need. That takes practice, and it takes time. And determination.

If you have a good enough reason, you can get determined. What would be a powerful reason for you to quit doomscrolling?