Stop Doom Scrolling

Your brain is not designed to endlessly absorb awful news, overwhelming emotion, and a sense of helplessness. The human brain is simple, and you’re overwhelming it. About 11,000 years ago, we exited the Pleistocene. At that time, we ceased being purely hunter-gatherers, and moved into an agrarian society. We learned to farm, communicate better, and generally be somewhat organized. After all, we’re just highly evolved apes, and staring into a glowing nightmare screen is an adaptation barely two decades old.

You ain’t built for this shit.

Over the past few months, a global pandemic, creeping fascism, and the unnerving feeling that we’re all teetering on the brink has left many of you emotionally exhausted. I see it regularly, all over the internet, albeit in ways that aren’t so obvious unless you actually do that thing we used to do… and call people and talk to them. If you ask people how they’re doing, usually they’ll tell you, “Things are incredibly shitty.” Trust me, we’re all in the same boat.

Here’s what you need to do: Step back. I know it seems insane, but if you’re feeling weird, just move away from your screen for a few days. Delete the apps that are causing you to stress out. Trust me, he is going to keep on doing stupid shit, saying stupid shit, and generally being a fuckhead. If you miss the news cycle for a few days, you’ll be fine, because it moves so quickly right now, you can’t be outraged at everything efficiently enough. He will still be a fuckhead when you return, I promise.

Preserve your mental health. There are plenty of people participating in the outrage machine, and there are enough folks still marching and protesting. No one will be upset if you duck the insanity for a few days, read some books, and chill all the way the fuck out.