How To Stop Doomscrolling (Somatic Meditation To Break Your Social Media Addiction)
How to Stop Doomscrolling and Break Your Social Media Addiction
In today's digital age, social media has woven itself into the fabric of our daily lives, offering both connection and distraction at our fingertips. And while social media has some beautiful and supportive aspects, the algorithms behind it are designed to be highly addictive and manipulative.
We scroll, hoping to find something uplifting, educational, or distracting, but we soon find ourselves lost in the unfulfilling world of doomscrolling. And the endless scroll for dopamine hits can lead to significant costs: nervous system dysregulation, emotional exhaustion, and a disrupted sense of self.
Understanding The Cycle of Doomscrolling
We’ve all been there. You grab your phone, seeking a moment of relaxation, and start scrolling through social media. Initially, it feels comforting. You laugh at a funny post, learn something new, catch up with your favorite creators, and get those delightful hits of dopamine. It's engaging and entertaining, right?
But then, the comfort fades. What started as a pleasant distraction becomes dysregulating and overstimulating. But, you barely notice because, with a mindless flick of your thumb, you're immersed in a constant stream of information and entertainment, keeping your focus glued to the glowing screen.
You've fallen into a scroll hole, entering a world of information overload, emotional exhaustion, and (a mostly unconscious) pursuit of more dopamine hits.
It's Not Your Fault
It's crucial to understand that this isn't your fault. Social media is designed this way. The algorithms behind the endless stream of content are specifically designed to provide intermittent dopamine hits, keeping you satisfied but always wanting more.
Plus, they know exactly how to capture human attention, often using content that triggers fear, rage, or shame. This is why your comforting scroll can quickly turn into doomscrolling, making it incredibly challenging to stop.
Breaking free from the cycle of doomscrolling and social media addiction requires reconnecting with something deeper than the endless content on our phones. We need to reconnect with our bodies, the present moment, and a broader sense of who we are and what we truly need. We need to regulate our nervous systems and understand what drives us to start scrolling in the first place.
Doomscrolling As A Coping Mechanism
The truth is, doomscrolling is often a coping mechanism we turn to when we want to escape discomfort or avoid deeper feelings we don’t want to face. It could be stress, loneliness, boredom, or we may be unconsciously attempting to meet a need.
But while the content we consume can give us those brief moments of relief, doomscrolling does NOT help us feel better in the long run. Doomscrolling dysregulates our nervous systems, dysregulates our emotions, and dysregulates our dopamine.
Plus, consistent exposure to content that creates feelings of fear, rage, and shame can even shift our sense of self and our sense of safety in the world in significant ways over time.
To truly break free from social media addiction, we need to delve into the deeper emotions and unmet needs driving our doomscrolling habits.
This is where somatic meditation comes in.
Somatic Meditation to Stop Doomscrolling
Though the pull of doomscrolling is strong, our desire for a more embodied, regulated, and authentic life is stronger. Let’s gently come back to the here and now, reconnecting with our present moment needs, feelings, and desires, and rediscovering our true selves.
In this somatic meditation to break your social media addiction, you'll first be guided to gently regulate your nervous system and connect with your body and feelings. Then, using a body-centered emotional processing technique called Regenerating Images in Memory®, you'll explore and process the deeper feelings, needs, and desires that drive your doomscrolling habit.
This meditation can be incredibly regulating and clarifying, empowering you to create a more mindful relationship with technology—one that supports your well-being rather than depleting it.
Creating Lasting Change
Like all of my meditations, this practice can be repeated to deepen its impact and create more lasting change in your system over time. By understanding and addressing the root causes of your social media habits, you can move towards a healthier, more balanced relationship with technology.
Breaking free from doomscrolling is not just about putting down your phone—it's about reconnecting with yourself and addressing the deeper needs within.
Try this somatic meditation to break your social media addiction now
Episode timing:
00:00 - Understanding The Cycle of Doomscrolling
05:20 - Somatic Meditation To Break Your Social Media Addiction (using Regenerating Images in Memory)
32:56 - Conclusion
Other episode mentioned: EPS 011 - Quick Exercise To Relax Your Nervous System
READY TO GO DEEPER ON YOUR EMBODIED HEALING JOURNEY?
Enroll in my free mini-course: The Feel it to Heal it Mini-Course
In 5 powerful mini-lessons you’ll:
Connect with your body and emotions in a deep and supportive way.
Learn exactly what it means to “feel it to heal it” (as well as experience 4 body-centered exercises to do just that).
Gain insight into your emotional patterns and knee-jerk reactions to life.
Learn a powerful mind-body technique to soothe your distressing emotions so you can increase your comfort with your emotions.
Use your deepening body awareness as a tool for healing and authentic living.
How did the Somatic Meditation To Break Your Social Media Addiction feel to you?
What shifted within? And what do you understand now that you didn’t understand before?
Please let me know in the comments!
➡️ If you enjoyed this episode, I would love it if you would subscribe, rate, and review this podcast!
And please join me every Friday on this beautiful journey out of your head, and into your more embodied and authentic self.
Thanks so much for joining me today!
Subscribe, Rate and Review: Apple | Spotify
Enjoy more like this: RIM® Exercises, Get to the roots
About me
Hey, I’m Karena!
I’m a trauma informed emotional healing coach here to help you quickly identify and heal the subconscious blocks, old emotional wounds and self-sabotaging core beliefs that are holding you back!
Want to go deeper? Sign up for the Feel it to Heal it Mini-Course now!
Learn a body-centered approach to deep healing + wake up to the wisdom within!