Guide
How to stop doomscrolling
Doomscrolling is scrolling on and on through feeds or bad news long after it stops being useful. To stop, notice what starts it, add friction, and give the time somewhere better to go: move feeds off your home screen, set a stopping point before you open an app, and lock the worst apps so opening them takes effort.
Updated
Why feeds are hard to put down
A feed has no last page, and the next swipe might always be the interesting one. The phone is always within reach, and opening an app takes a second. None of that is a character flaw; it is how the apps are designed. So the fix is to change the setup, not to try harder.
1. Notice when it starts
For a few days, notice the moment you reach for the phone: bored, avoiding a task, in bed, waiting. The pattern tells you where to put friction. Your Screen Time report (Settings → Screen Time) shows which apps and which hours.
2. Add friction
- Move feed apps off the home screen into the App Library.
- Turn off their notifications in Settings → Notifications.
- Use grayscale (Settings → Accessibility → Display & Text Size → Color Filters).
- Log out, so each visit starts with a password.
3. Decide where you will stop before you start
Before opening a feed, pick an end: one video, ten minutes, or the end of your coffee. A stopping point chosen before you start is far easier to keep than one chosen mid-scroll.
4. Give the time somewhere to go
Keep something better within reach of where you usually scroll: a book by the bed, headphones and a podcast, a walk. Removing a habit leaves a gap; fill it on purpose.
5. Make scrolling something you earn
Limits you can extend tend to get extended. Screenwage keeps your feed apps locked until you spend time you earned by focusing, so a scroll comes after something you are glad you did. Students can use Quiz mode to answer a few questions from their notes before a feed opens.
6. Protect the night
Charge the phone outside the bedroom, or set Downtime in Screen Time for the evening. Late-night scrolling is often the longest stretch of the day, and it costs sleep.
Questions
- What is doomscrolling?
- Scrolling on and on through feeds or bad news long after it stops being useful or enjoyable, often without deciding to.
- Is doomscrolling bad for you?
- Many people find it leaves them more anxious or tired and eats into sleep and plans. If it feels out of control or is affecting your mood, it is worth talking to someone you trust or a professional.