I've been struggling recently with scrolling mindlessly through the internet and it's hard to stop once I start as I don't always notice I'm doing it for quite a while. Especially when I'm feeling more depressed than usual, it's easy to fall into the black hole of the internet, but it always makes me feel a lot worse and it's not easy to bounce back afterwards. You'd think it would be easy to stop if it makes me feel bad but that doesn't seem to be the case.
I feel guilty about wasting time and would like to spend time more productively. Do you have any advice on how to stop?
Sam
Hi there,
Lots of young people can get sucked into the endless satisfaction scrolling can give you. It's a really common problem to have, it can cause us to procrastinate and leave important things to the last minute. However, there are ways you can try to tackle it and feel better.
The best way to start breaking a habit is to make it as difficult as possible to get back to scrolling. Try to put as many barriers in the way as possible so that you can choose to do something else instead. If you have an idea for something else, try to make that as easy as possible to do, so you're more likely to choose to do it.
There are lots of ways to put barriers up to stop scrolling. You could delete one or a few of the apps you use for a few hours, days, or even for longer. Try to see how it feels not having them. Just remember your account and password so you don’t lose anything online you may want to keep. This might be difficult as you could feel like you're missing out, but after a while you might find you have more time and prefer it.
Some apps or devices allow you to set reminders or time limits that pop up to remind you to take a break. Try to be strict with yourself, stopping after whatever time you set.
You can even set a password to allow you back on the app. You may wish to let a trusted adult make the password so that you need to have a conversation with them on whether you continue scrolling.
Remember, it can help to try developing new hobbies that you might see as more productive or fulfilling. This could be anything, from learning an instrument, a new sport or skill.
Take care,
Sam
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