Mindful Social Media and Digital Consumption

By Grayson Long
Picture this, you pick up your phone for a quick update - maybe you hop on social media to see what your friends are up to or to check the score of the game. More likely than not you then end up scrolling through social media, taken hostage by the headlines of the day - each more worrisome than the last. Time goes by and you look up from your phone to see the sun has gone down. In this moment, you realize meaningful hours have been lost to a social media spiral leaving you feeling depleted and out of sorts. Sound familiar? You are not alone. One in three Americans admit to falling into the dreaded scroll daily. This phenomenon has become so prominent in our culture that we have given it a name: Doomscrolling.

The term doomscroll has become so well known that the Merriam-Webster dictionary has officially defined it as, “to spend excessive time online scrolling through news or other content that makes one feel sad, anxious, angry, etc.” An article by Pure Wow, wellness expert and Reiki practitioner Katie Healy shares some proven methods for leaving doomscrolling in 2024 and moving towards more mindful media consumption in 2025. She compares our daily dose of media to taking a vitamin and advocates for “setting boundaries, taking breaks and engaging in activities that nourish your soul instead of draining it. This means swapping doomscrolling for mindful moments, cultivating in-person connections, and carving out time for digital detox.”

We know that doomscrolling has negative mental health outcomes because if we are brutally honest with ourselves, we have all experienced it first hand. And now, we have the work of mental health professionals to back up what we’ve long recognized.

Doomscrolling and its Effect on Mental Health:

Studies show doomscrolling has been found to trigger those with anxiety and depression, often making the effects of both worse. This form of media consumption also tends to reinforce our negative feelings. In an article published by the Cleveland Clinic, we hear from psychologist, Dr. Susan Albers. Albers explains that if someone is feeling particularly negative, they might over consume negative content as a way to validate their negative thoughts.

Doomscrolling also has been proven to chemically alter our brain function. The hormones cortisol and adrenaline are responsible for our levels of stress. Both cortisol and adrenaline have been seen to increase as a direct result of doomscrolling due to the overwhelming amount of negative stimulation we’re feeding our brains through this kind of consumption. Furthermore, doomscrolling affects our sleep quality1. What starts off as an innocent brief check-in on social media platforms as an attempt to wind down before bed quickly turns to overstimulation for most. This then causes the mind to race and ultimately interrupts sleep patterns and effectively adds to the issue of heightened cortisol levels which require good sleep to diminish.

Moving Towards Mindful Media Consumption:

What we can take from these findings and our own experiences is that we should all be more intentional when it comes to the content we’re consuming. Sticking to meaningful and uplifting content and prioritizing interpersonal connection over negative and potentially harmful content is one way to drastically change the direction of our scrolling and feelings thereafter. By setting intentions before using social media rather than spending hours mindlessly scrolling, our lives can improve; we are able to focus better, we become better emotional regulators, and we are able to form stronger in-person connections. While quitting social media outright might not be the most effective or realistic solution, it is important to detox every now and then.

Techniques for Digital Detox:

In any toxic situation the first step of detox is always setting boundaries. This could be simply keeping your phone in the kitchen at night rather than bringing it to bed or establishing “no-screen” hours when spending time with family.

There are tools we can use to help keep ourselves on track. Using apps like Forest or Freedom, which are designed to reduce distractions from our devices and improve our focus, are excellent tools to have under your belt.

Some people have even found that keeping track of their screen time has been helpful for them to cut down on scrolling. We might not realize just how much time we are devoting to social media, so looking at these numbers in our phone usage category could serve as a helpful wakeup call. You can also use your phone settings to set daily time limits on certain apps.

Start looking for hobbies to fill your spare time rather than scrolling through social media. Finding mindful hobbies like yoga or reading are good ways to help keep you distracted from the pull of the online world.

Even better than finding individual hobbies is also the age-old practice of face-to-face interaction. Replacing online interactions with real life ones can actually deepen existing relationships. Try hosting “screen-free” events or getting a couple of friends to grab lunch. These may seem obvious, yet when was the last time you can honestly say you were fully present with your friends and no one pulled out a phone and started scrolling?

By implementing small changes like putting down the phone and being present with friends and family, reading positive news, exploring healthy habits, and making an effort to connect with people in-person, it is almost guaranteed you will be happier. I challenge you to try a few of these techniques. Start small: Set a timer, take a walk, go see a friend, and leave your phone at home. It only takes a few mindful moments to lead to meaningful change.