doomscrolling: how to interrupt the cycle
doomscrolling verb /ˈdo͞omˌskrōliNG/
Doomscrolling is the practice of obsessively checking social media or news, consuming or anticipating depressing or worrying content which creates a cycle of anxiety that keeps you frozen in scrolling mode.
Many of our social media feeds are inundated with crisis after crisis. We scroll to stay informed—many of us driven by a moral imperative, refusing to look away from the injustices being perpetuated in the world.
The intensity of the content we are consuming leaves us feeling anxious, overwhelmed and with an increased feeling of dread. The weight of witnessing leaves our bodies and our spirits exhausted.
For many children of immigrant parents, bearing witness to global violence, genocide, injustice, and displacement, lands in our body like the weight of an avalanche—reliving what our families lived through, fled from, or still carry.
What we witness on our screens floods our nervous system with fear and helplessness—in these paralyzing moments, which our systems were not built to respond to 24/7, we need an anchor to help interrupt the spiral.
So how can we shift into a more grounded, regulated state, interrupting this cycle that keep us in survival mode?
Research shows that just looking at greenery—a houseplant, a walk near trees, a paused breath by a window, or even a photo of nature—can help regulate our nervous system and reduce stress.
Studies found ~and wisdom that our ancestors already lived and practiced~ that just 3 minutes of green moments can:
~ lower blood pressure
~ ease anxiety
~ improve mood
~ support emotional regulation
For children of immigrants, grounding can feel unfamiliar—many of us inherited living in survival mode as our baseline. May you receive this as gentle permission to realize that your body deserves safety too. And each moment of felt safety can be an embodied repair of the wounds passed through generations before us.
Next time you catch yourself doomscrolling—pause.
Look up. Find one green thing.
Breathe toward it. Let it remind you: You’re allowed to ground, even when the world is quite literally on fire.
Micro acts of slowing down like finding a small green moment~ watering a plant, watching leaves move and fall can remind your system: You’re here. You’re safe in this moment. These moments can resource us just enough to carry the weight of witnessing.
A peaceful therapy office in Ellicott City, Maryland, with houseplants and small green areas. These natural touches help promote healing and mindfulness at Calamansi Counseling, a welcoming place for individual and couples therapy.
Interested in starting therapy with Calamansi Counseling? Book a free consultation here. In-person therapy in Ellicott City, MD & virtually in Washington DC, Maryland & select countries internationally. Not ready for therapy? How about just coffee? For more information visit: www.calamansicounseling.com/store/
