‘I deleted news apps’: Guardian readers on how to stop doomscrolling
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While we certainly don’t encourage people to turn away from the news, we also know it’s important to take breaks. Doomscrolling happens to the best of us. Algorithms across social platforms are finely tuned to feed you content and posts that keep you locked in. It can be hard to pull yourself away even when you’re consuming a barrage of news about the state of the world online.
![[Johana Bhuiyan]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2022/12/13/Johana_Bhuiyan.png?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
While we certainly don’t encourage people to turn away from the news, we also know it’s important to take breaks. A recent MIT study found that social media can create a negative feedback loop: those who are already struggling with their mental health are more likely to consume negative content, which makes their mental health worse.
Unplugging is easier said than done. There are dozens of apps tailored to that purpose. New, built-in iOS and Android features aim to make it harder to endlessly and mindlessly scroll through your phone. But what actually works?. We asked readers to tell us what they use to make sure they’re not glued to their phones. Among the more than 200 responses, people told us they used apps to lock them out of their phones after a certain amount of time; others just deleted all social media; and some went as far as to use “dumb” phones all the time. Respondents ranged in age from 24 to 69, from California to Morocco. Here are some of the apps, tricks and tips Guardian readers suggested. These responses have been edited for length and clarity.
I deleted news apps from my phone and now check the news (once a day) by forcing myself to type in the URL for BBC and Guardian news. That extra step has helped resist the urge to check constantly. I have also managed to turn Apple News into an old-fashioned URL feed by selecting “Restrict Stories in Today” in Settings > Apps > News > Today Feed. I now only see articles from channels and topics I choose to follow … and I have carefully selected only non-news content (music, films, TV, etc) to keep me inspired. I also removed myself from social media … and read more paper books. When I have a minute where I would reach for my phone (waiting for the kids, at an appointment), I now carry a book with me everywhere.
