When Everyone’s Losing Their Minds Online: How to Stay Sane with Social Media
Isn’t it time to break free from the Scroll of Doom and start reclaiming your mental peace?
This might sting a little:
You are not staying “informed” by doom scrolling through your social media feeds at 11 PM.
You’re actually poisoning your mind with a daily cocktail of outrage, fear, and other people’s manufactured drama.
I know, I know. You tell yourself you need to know what’s happening in the world. That it’s your responsibility as an engaged citizen to stay current. But let’s be honest, when was the last time scrolling through Facebook or TicTok actually helped you solve a real problem in YOUR life?
That belief that you need to consume every piece of polarizing content that shows up in your feed? It’s not keeping you informed. It’s keeping you inflamed. And my midlife friend, your mental health is paying the price.
So what do you do to stay sane with social media?
Start with the 24-Hour Rule. Before you react to, share, or even fully read that inflammatory post that just made your blood pressure spike, give it 24 hours. I promise you, 90% of the stuff that feels “urgent” today will be completely irrelevant tomorrow. This one simple pause can instantly cut your stress response in half.
Adopt this Insight. Your brain literally cannot tell the difference between a real threat standing in front of you and a scary news story on your phone. When you consume negative content, your nervous system responds as if danger is actually present in your living room. Your cortisol spikes, your sleep gets disrupted, and your body stays in constant fight-or-flight mode. You’re essentially training your brain to see the world as more dangerous than it actually is.
Understand the fact that you have been giving away your power to complete strangers on the internet. Every time you let someone else’s post determine your mood, stress level, or worldview, you’re handing over control of your emotional state to people who don’t even know you exist. The algorithm doesn’t care about your peace of mind, it cares about keeping you engaged, and outrage is the most engaging emotion of all.
Ready to take it one step further and reclaim your life by creating a healthy online mental space?
Here are some quick steps to take:
Unfollow ruthlessly. That person from high school who posts political rants? Unfollow. That news outlet that makes you feel hopeless? Unfollow. That friend who shares conspiracy theories? You’re not being mean, you’re being intentional about your mental health.
Create consumption boundaries. Set specific times for checking news and social media, just like you would for any other activity. Maybe it’s 15 minutes with your morning coffee and 10 minutes after dinner. Outside those windows? Your phone stays down.
Replace doom with intention. Fill that space with content that actually serves your life. Follow accounts that teach you something useful, inspire creativity, or make you laugh. Subscribe to a newsletter from an organization doing good work instead of one that profits from your panic.
Practice the STOP technique. When you catch yourself in a scroll spiral, literally say “STOP” out loud. Ask yourself: “Is this serving my peace? Is this helping me be the person I want to be? Does this information require any action from me right now?” If the answers are no, close the app.
You are not responsible for carrying the weight of every problem in the world on your shoulders. You never were. Your job is to show up fully for your own life and the people who matter most to you.
When you protect your mental space it isn’t selfish, it’s strategic. It shows you understand that a calm mind makes better decisions, stronger relationships, and more meaningful contributions to the world.
Your peace isn’t a luxury you’ll get to someday when the world calms down. It’s a choice you make right now, in this moment, with your next scroll. Choose wisely.
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~Judy Davis is a motivational speaker, published author and Veteran Caregiver who shares candid stories, transformative mindset shifts, and practical strategies to help midlife women navigate the unexpected twists of life.