Doomscrolling is where you can’t stop reading the news, and not just any news, you read bad news. Even though reading bad news makes you feel worried, and hopeless and upset, you just keep scrolling. That’s doomscrolling. Now, reading the news and knowing what is happening in the world is not a bad thing, but if you read too much and you can’t stop, that can be pretty bad for you. More and more research is showing that doomscrolling can make you feel more stressed, depressed and hopeless. If you can relate to this, here are some ways to keep your doomscrolling under control:

Keep track. Start making a note of how long you spend reading the news or social media. This might sound like a pain - and it might be - but it will make you realise just how much time you spend scrolling. You could track when you scroll - before you go to bed, in the morning, both. This makes you aware of when you are most likely to become sucked in.

Set timers. Before you go on to social media, set a timer. Could be five minutes, could be more. Whatever it is, it will pull you out of the social media daze - you know the one. Promise to stop when the time goes off. There is no point setting a timer if you are not going to stick to it.

Ask someone to support you. Tell someone you want to cut down on your screen time. Could be a friend, could be your brother. Ask them to stop you when they notice you getting trapped in a social media spiral. Make sure they are around you often.

Keep the mornings clear. Going on social media first thing in the morning is not good for your peace of mind, research shows this. Don’t go on any apps or sites that pull you in for the first few hours in the morning. Your brain will thank you for it.

You have got this.