Stop Doomscrolling – protect your mental health

World Mental Health Day is a reminder to look after our wellbeing, especially in an era of endless scrolling and online news.

If you’ve ever found yourself glued to your phone, absorbing bad news after bad news, you’ve probably experienced doomscrolling.

For grooms, this habit can be particularly draining, combining the daily challenges of working in the equestrian industry with the temptation to compare yourself to others.

When you’re tired, scrolling through endless ‘highlight reels’ can make you feel like you’re not doing enough, achieving enough or being enough.

But that’s simply not true.

What doomscrolling does to you

Our brains are wired to notice threats. When we endlessly scroll through newsfeeds, social media, or industry updates, we trigger stress responses, even if the stories don’t affect us directly.

Add in the pressure of comparisonitis - seeing other riders, grooms, or yards seemingly excelling - and it’s easy to feel inadequate or overwhelmed.

In the equestrian industry, bad news can come from many directions: injuries, horse welfare concerns, staffing shortages, or financial pressures. Mix that with wider global news, and the impact on your mental health can be significant.

Tips to break the doomscrolling cycle

Set boundaries for scrolling

Decide when and how often you’ll check social media or news and try your best to stick to you. Start by turning off push notifications, just this small step can help prevent compulsive scrolling.

Curate your content carefully

Social media algorithms learn from what we engage with, so if you spend time reading negative stories, you’ll likely start seeing more of the same.

Try to balance your feed by following accounts that share practical advice, uplifting stories, or genuine inspiration and consider muting or unfollowing content that leaves you feeling anxious or low.

Don’t believe the hype

Social media is often a carefully curated snapshot of someone’s life or business. It’s not the true reality and comparing your behind-the-scenes to someone else’s best bits can easily damage your confidence and mental wellbeing. The truth is, no yard is spotless all the time, that perfect row of plaits didn’t happen first time and that poised show photo is the best one of about 25 taken.

Focus on the present

When doomscrolling or worrying about the future, it’s easy to get caught in a cycle of anxiety. Practising mindfulness can help bring your attention back to the present moment and reduce stress. Even a few deep breaths, a short guided meditation, or simply noticing the sights, sounds, and smells around you in the yard can make a real difference.

Taking a walk around the yard is another simple way to ground yourself. Paying attention to the rhythm of your steps, or the feeling of fresh air can calm your nervous system and help you approach tasks with a clearer, calmer mindset. Over time, these small moments of awareness can build resilience and make daily challenges feel more manageable.

Concentrate on what you can control

It’s easy to feel helpless when your yard, the equestrian world or the wider world feels overwhelming. Focus on your own actions, training, horse care, and personal wellbeing, rather than comparing yourself to others.

Talk about it

Sharing your feelings with friends, colleagues, or a professional can help you process worries and gain perspective. BGA members can access our online mental health hub Grooms Minds where you’ll find support, advice, resources and guidance to help you navigate mental health challenges.

 Small steps can make a big difference

Breaking free from doomscrolling doesn’t happen overnight. Start with one or two changes, like a daily phone-free window or a mindful walk and build from there.

Remember, taking care of your mental health is just as important as caring for the horses on your yard. Limiting doomscrolling, reducing comparison, and practising self-care are all ways to stay resilient, online and off.

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