Switching my Android's screen to black and white didn't stop me from doomscrolling

Switching your smartphone screen to grayscale mode to stop yourself from mindless scrolling is like putting a Band-Aid on a bullet wound.

Like 53% of Americans, I want to reduce my screen time, which mostly consists of mindless scrolling for a couple of hours a day.

In the past, I have successfully experimented with turning off notifications, deleting social media apps altogether, or setting limits on my daily phone usage.

However, amid the cold and dark Eastern European winter, I find myself again staring at my Instagram feed and, as a typical millennial, watching reels that were trending on TikTok a couple of weeks ago.

I would love to say that the videos are always part of #BookTok or feature healthy recipes, but sometimes it is just AI-generated content about a shelter where dogs choose their new owners.

Inspired by an opinion essay about how switching a phone to a black-and-white color scheme killed the author’s urgent need to look at her phone, I followed the example and tried to sever “an invisible cord” that ties me to my old Samsung.

My little experiment lasted for a week, and my screen time further increased, suggesting that a color trick stands no chance against powerful algorithms, which are designed to keep us glued to our phones.

While it was supposed to keep my supposedly color-craving brain away from the screen, I loved the black-and-white aesthetic, which, in hindsight, should have been expected from a proud owner of a 1959 film camera and a fan of old movies.

So, what went wrong?

Scrolling as a way to regulate emotions

Only two percent of Instagram users show symptoms consistent with potential addiction, although 20% think their social media use may be out of their control, a recent study found.

Studies define social media addiction as involving compulsively checking for updates, feeling anxious when offline, and suffering from negative impacts on real-life relationships and responsibilities.

While some are quick to blame themselves for being weak, lazy, and having no willpower, the feeling of addiction may stem from how the platforms are designed.

Technological mechanisms, such as infinite scrolling and personalized notifications, keep us constantly engaged. An ongoing lawsuit against Meta alleges that the company deliberately made Facebook and Instagram features addictive to teenagers in order to generate profits.

However, some may be more prone to problematic phone use than others, like those with low self-esteem who regularly turn to social media for affirmation.

In a state of anxiety or exhaustion, it becomes more difficult to tolerate pauses and sit with our own thoughts, so the screen becomes a way to avoid internal tension.

Erik Larson

Erik Larson, board-certified psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner and owner at Larson Mental Health, says mindless scrolling is a way of regulating emotions during moments when we are tired or anxious.

When our attention and self-control are depleted, the brain seeks the easiest way to find relief, and scrolling through a feed triggers a dopamine-driven anticipation.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps us to feel pleasure as part of the brain's reward system. Social media can trigger the release of dopamine through likes we receive or new content, making it difficult to stop further seeking the “feel-good” hormone.

Similar feelings also pushed me into mindless scrolling during the experiment. My screen time peaked on January 1st, when I was too tired and lazy to do anything else after a sleepless night celebrating the New Year.

When I arrived for an important appointment too early, I again had nothing better to do than kill time and anxiety by devouring the news about the abduction of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

“In a state of anxiety or exhaustion, it becomes more difficult to tolerate pauses and sit with our own thoughts, so the screen becomes a way to avoid internal tension,” Larson tells Cybernews.

While smartphones can offer a quick dopamine hit during times of distress,​ scrolling can make anxiety worse depending on the content, according to Ellie Hambly, a clinical psychologist.

For example, comparing yourself with content on other people's accounts may trigger nervous thoughts.

Hambly says, “Your stress hormones could also be spiked from the type of scrolling you are engaging in, which could exacerbate your anxiety.”

Address the root cause, not the habit

The experiment proved to me again that I excessively scroll when I feel exhausted or anxious, not because I like the colors on the screen.

The only time I truly missed the usual screen mode was when ordering groceries – staring at black-and-white cucumbers was quite an annoying experience.

When I feel guilty about spending too much time on social media, I keep reminding myself that the brightest minds from the world’s top universities are working hard to keep these platforms as addictive as possible.

When alerts on our phone go off, we experience a small spike in stress hormones, and if we are getting hundreds of these in a day, we are playing havoc with our nervous system.

Ellie Hambly

Nevertheless, experts say there is something anyone can do to fix their problematic scrolling.

Hambly recommends setting restrictions, such as turning off alerts at a certain time before sleep. Notifications should be turned off for anything that isn’t of utmost importance.

“When alerts on our phone go off, we experience a small spike in stress hormones, and if we are getting hundreds of these in a day, we are playing havoc with our nervous system,” she tells Cybernews.

Another approach could be setting limits on the amount of time spent on certain apps. The limits, however, should be combined with anxiety support and enjoyable activities that take the mind off of phone use.

Larson says the most effective approach to problematic scrolling is to address the root cause, not just the habit.

“If fatigue and anxiety remain unaddressed, the brain will find another quick way to release tension,” he explained.

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