Theres a reason its called a feed
I've been following this subreddit for quite some time now and one thing has especially stuck out to me. Its full of people complaining about their struggles with scrolling, with an unwillingness to actually delete the app or take any action.
Real quotes Ive grabbed from reddit posts:
"Im wasting hours every day scrolling"
"i don't know if I'm unable to vanish my phone from my life because i have real reasons or because i find excuses to justify permanent use of it."
"Every once in a while I find a great video"
"I've tried the tools and I just end up deleting them. I wish I could throw my phone in the fire, but so many things are done through your phone these days that it's not possible."
"Yep it's just so natural to me now to fill waiting time with my phone and I hate it"
Everyone agrees that most of the content they scroll through gives no value to them. But the rare video that they enjoy is enough to justify the countless hours wasted on the mediocre videos. Thats the true definition of dopamine in effect. It shoots off not from receiving the good video, but in the anticipation that every time you scroll you could get a good video. Literally a slot machine.
That constant stimulation motivates you to keep scrolling. After a while it becomes a habit and is reinforced more and more with consistent scrolling. It then gets to a point where the habit is so ingrained that you begin to do it without even thinking.
More quotes I grabbed in reddit posts supporting this:
"That's exactly what scared me. I wasn't choosing to check my phone anymore, it was just happening automatically. I'd unlock it without even thinking."
"It's literally rhe same move bilbo does touching the ring in his pockets, except it's me touching the phone, I've noticed myself and feel terrible about it."
"Instagram has this weird chokehold on me and I HATE it. My fingers literally have muscle memory for opening the folder where the app sat."
Why your brain does this: Your brain stores habits in the basal ganglia which is the oldest part of your brain. Its responsible for you doing things without actually thinking. Like riding a bike, brushing your teeth, opening instagram before deciding to.
I know what you're thinking now "Okay ya this explains how the doom scrolling happens but how do I stop it?". Most people suggest installing blockers and adding friction until the easiest thing to do becomes the thing you really want to do. Although this does help, it does not address the underlying root issue: the habit in your brain.
The first step isnt a blocker. Lasting change starts by becoming aware of the automatic behaviour first.
How you can start now: For one day, every time you catch yourself picking up your phone or going to a site without deciding to, write it down. Write the time and what you were doing before. Don't try and stop it just start by noticing first. Most people will be shocked that they do it more than they realize. And in very specific situations.
I've been going deep on the research about habit breaking and their benefits. I'd be happy to share specific papers or go further on any part of this if theres interest.
TLDR: Nope, this isn't short form content. Go read it and give your brain some attention practice.