We’ve all been there: phone in hand, scrolling through an endless stream of unsettling headlines or emotional posts. What starts as a quick check-in can turn into a downward spiral of anxiety and exhaustion.

This habit, known as doomscrolling, taps into our brain’s natural alert system. We’re wired to seek information that helps us stay safe — but in today’s world, the constant flood of emotionally challenging content keeps that system stuck in overdrive, leaving us drained and disconnected.

Over time, doomscrolling can erode sleep, heighten anxiety, and skew our perception of the world toward the energy of fear and chaos.

Yet some people choose to completely avoid the news or any information that feels intense. On the surface, that can seem like self-care but can also become what psychologists call spiritual bypassing: using positivity or spiritual ideals to avoid uncomfortable realities rather than addressing them. For instance, with regard to the current political situations people who consider themselves spiritual may refuse to take sides and remove themselves from taking responsibility to be informed and participatory in critical societal and global events.

Spiritual ideals can sometimes manifest as detachment from difficult situations by “surrendering” them to a “higher power.” What may be intended as a way to calm oneself may be an unwillingness to feel and address fear and uncertainty.

Both patterns—overexposure and avoidance—disconnect us from our inherent ability to create internal energetic balance. True wellness lies in cultivating conscious awareness to stay informed without being consumed and taking appropriate action to address forces that seek to do more harm than good.

Here are a few gentle practices to help:

Set clear time boundaries: Choose specific times to check the news, then consciously step away.
Curate your input: Follow sources that align with your values and provide balanced, solution-oriented perspectives.
Stay grounded: Ground yourself through breath, nature, or stillness before and/or after watching or engaging with media.
Engage with internal presence: Let your intuition guide you to compassionate action—not overwhelm or denial.

Finding energetic balance during challenging times helps us create both responsible engagement and necessary self-care, allowing us to meet the world as it is—neither turning away from its pain nor drowning in it.

For information on The Practical Path® Medical Intuitive Training™ , Master Classes, and the Medical Intuition for Healing & Self-Care Workshop™, please visit The Practical Path or call 877-433-6611.

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Losing Energetic Balance: Doomscrolling vs. Spiritual Bypassing