Do you often find your teen “doomscrolling”? Here is how you can help her quit
Ever since its advent, social media has consistently kept morphing and evolving. Initially, it was a way to allow people to expand their social circles online with the help of internet. However, over time, its usage underwent a sea change. Instagram, Twitter and Facebook weaved themselves into the fabric of our daily lives and became indispensable. Not only are they platforms to share our lives and connect with people, they have now become news sources as well. The algorithms of these platforms are designed in such a way and the volume of news content created here keep the users hooked on 24/7, giving rise to a generation of “doomscrollers”. Read on to know what it exactly is and how you can help your teen quit this online habit.
What is doomscrolling?
Doomscrolling refers to the habit of seeking out negative news and content online and mindlessly scrolling through it. Also known as “social media panic,” it essentially means reading one negative news story after another. It is believed that the term emerged on Twitter during 2018, and steadily gained popularity due to the vast influx of negative political and social news, and now, the coronavirus pandemic. Teens are easily susceptible to this habit as they tend to spend copious amounts of time on the internet. Many find the urge uncontrollable, and believe that it prepares them to tackle a negative situation better. It is a vicious cycle and can have negative effects on your teen’s mental health. While it’s important to stay informed about the world, it can be detrimental if one gets obsessed withnegative information.
How you can help your teen quit doomscrolling
As a parent, you need to make a conscious effort to help your teenager break free of this negative habit. Here, we take you through some effective strategies to do so.
Help her set a time limit for social media: It’s evident that the more time your teen spends on social media, the more likely it is that she comes across negative news. Setting a time limit of 10-15 minutes of scrolling can keep her from entering the doomscrolling territory. This will also make her more mindful of her screen time.
Ask him to direct his attention elsewhere: If you notice that your teen seems nervous or jittery after coming across certain news, help him to divert his attention to some other activity. It will be more beneficial to direct him towards something calming, which can instil mindfulness. Reading, cooking or talking to a friend can be helpful. Playing sports or exercising is also a great idea, as it helps release endorphins which can calm the chaos in his mind.
Help her seek out positivity: Although there is plenty of negativity on the internet, there is also a lot of content which is positive. Tell her to engage in something funny, watch a light-hearted show or read a heart-warming news story. Spending time with friends and family will also help her instil a positive mindset.
Encourage him to practise gratitude: Practising gratitude is an effective way to bring in some positivity. Encourage him to think and make himself aware about the things in life he should be grateful for, instead of pinpointing things that trigger negative emotions.