Facebook and Twitter bumming you out? Doomscrolling leads users to social media detox. Here's how you can, too

Alondra Llompart needed a break from everything happening on social media.

Llompart, from Bayamón, Puerto Rico, decided she would delete all her social media apps for a week after feeling headaches and anxiety due to what she calls "excessive doomscrolling." She removed Instagram, Twitter and YouTube from her phone.

"If I find myself feeling sad and self-deprecating, I know it's because I'm consuming too much social media," said the 23-year-old. "I especially feel this on Instagram, where I find myself comparing myself to others, and on Twitter, where the doomscrolling comes in."

Doomscrolling, or doomsurfing, refers to the tendency to continue to scroll through bad news despite the content being saddening, disheartening or depressing. As people have flocked to social media for COVID-19 health information, updates on the presidential transition and entertainment, some people might feel burned out due to excessive social media use. The riots on Capitol Hill Jan. 6 had people glued to their phones for the latest news on the events and its consequences.

Twitter user Ethan Jacobs succinctly wrote in a viral tweet: "OK doomscrolling is bad but have you SEEN the quality of the doom this week?" And with rumors of more riots for Inauguration Day, people kept refreshing their feeds.

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Searches for "social media detox" reached an all-time high this month in the U.S. and have doubled since December, according to Google.

"Given the state of the country and the world right now, the reality is that most people are wrapped up in the health, social and economic ramifications of the pandemic, and they're feeling pretty bad about the state of the world," said Karen North, clinical psychologist and professor of communication at the University of Southern California, Annenberg. "Social media allows miserable people to find the company of other miserable people and compare their misery to other people's misery."

Using social media excessively for COVID-19 health information is related to both depression and secondary trauma, according to a study by Pennsylvania State University and Jinan University. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends taking breaks from watching, reading or listening to news stories, including those on social media, if a person feels stressed.

What does a 'social media detox' entail?

Social media cleanses come in waves and take shape in different ways, North says. While some people choose to take a social media hiatus and delete apps, others might just unfriend people who have different political views.

"Sometimes, individuals need time to reset and come back with a better balance," she said.

But, beware: Unfriending people with different political opinions could lead to what's known as the “bubble effect” or “echo chambers." And on Facebook and Twitter, that plays out with people sharing content that amplifies and reaffirms only similar viewpoints.

Apps to reduce social media consumption, including Freedom, help you set up periods of time to block apps. Apple devices such as iPhones and iPads also include a feature that allows screen time adjustments that set a time limit to use specific apps; Google also allows you to set screen time limits on your Android device or Chromebook.

Another approach, such as Llompart's, is to delete social media apps, but not necessarily accounts. Other people decide to quit cold turkey and delete all social networking accounts while still talking to friends and family via text message. Apps such as Telegram and Signal have also seen a spike in users due to privacy and moderation concerns with other apps, including WhatsApp and Facebook.

There is a downside to cutting off interactions cold turkey, as the clinical psychologist pointed out: being cut off from their support network.

"When people step out of social media, they're not only affecting themselves, but also the people they're engaged with on social media," North said. "They can no longer be supportive to friends and colleagues."

North said it could be helpful for people to announce on the platform that they are going on a social media detox. This way, friends and family don't think they are being rejected online.

After a week of detoxing from social media, Llompart felt more productive and clearheaded. She reinstalled all her social media apps, and she is making an effort to visit her social networks less, especially if she's feeling overwhelmed.

"At first, I found myself reaching for my phone to use the apps," Llompart said. "Then when I reentered, it didn't even feel good to use social media."

Follow Coral Murphy on Twitter @CoralMerfi

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Doomscrolling' leads users to quit Facebook, Twitter, social media