Triggering Tuesday: The Algorithm Anxiety Trap
Half of Americans see mental health misinformation on social media every week. Most don’t even realize it’s happening.
Half of Americans see mental health misinformation on social media every week. Most don’t even realize it’s happening.
Every scroll, every swipe, every “just one more video” trains your brain to chase stimulation instead of peace. The result? Restless thoughts, racing feelings, and anxiety that seems to come from nowhere.
Welcome to the first Triggering Tuesday, a weekly chance to look at what’s really feeding our stress and how to take our calm back from the algorithm.
When Relaxation Becomes Activation
Most of us open social media to unwind. But what we’re actually doing is handing our attention over to an endless feed designed to keep us alert. Every notification, every “new post” banner gives us a quick dopamine hit followed by a quiet crash. Over time, that cycle teaches our brains to stay on edge instead of settling down.
The content makes it worse. Studies show that up to 22 percent of anxiety-related videos on social platforms contain false or misleading information. When these posts flood our feeds, they don’t just confuse us. They activate our stress response. Our bodies start reacting to things that aren’t even happening in our actual lives.
Your nervous system can’t tell the difference between real threats and scrolling through distressing content. It responds the same way to both: tension, elevated heart rate, that jittery feeling you can’t quite name.
What Your Feed Is Really Doing
This week, pay attention to how your feed makes you feel. Do certain accounts leave you tense or restless afterward? Do you feel different on days when you take breaks or follow calmer voices?
Here’s something I want you to try: before opening any app, set a timer for 20 minutes. Give yourself permission to do something else first (anything else). When the timer goes off, allow yourself 10 minutes of scrolling, then close the app.
Notice how your body feels afterward. Lighter? Heavier? Anxious? Inspired? That moment of awareness is your first step back to control.
You’re not weak for being affected by this. These platforms were built by teams of engineers whose entire job is keeping you engaged. Your brain is responding exactly how it’s supposed to when faced with endless novelty and occasional outrage.
But you get to decide how much access they have to your nervous system.
Taking Back Your Attention
Small changes create calmer days. Calmer days strengthen your capacity to handle real stress (not algorithm-generated stress).
Start noticing patterns. Which apps make you feel worse? What time of day are you most vulnerable to mindless scrolling? Who are you following that consistently leaves you agitated?
You don’t have to delete everything or go completely offline. Just get intentional about what you’re letting into your mind and body.
Join me next Tuesday when we’ll look at Comparison Creep and why scrolling through other people’s highlight reels quietly drains your peace.
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I write about the messy, frustrating, and still somehow beautiful process of living with chronic illness and learning to rebuild yourself.
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