The antidote to the Trump doomscroll [View all]

The antidote to the Trump doomscroll
There’s a relatively simple way to pull out of the dread spiral of Trump 2.0

By Alex Galbraith
Nights and Weekends Editor
Published December 3, 2025 9:00AM (EST)


(Salon) If you’re here, you’re a junkie.

I know that’s hard to hear, but the first step toward kicking any habit is admitting it. Almost anything that lights up the dopamine receptors in your brain can become addictive. And there’s no denying that you’re hooked on the steady drip of outrage and incredulousness that marks the second term of President Donald Trump.

If you’re anything like me, and – as we’ve established, you are – shortly after you wake up, you find yourself reading the latest news from another day of the bigoted and boorish Trump administration.

....(snip)....

While it won’t kill you like some other vices, trying to quit this spiritually corrosive habit cold turkey is inadvisable. Start by trying to filter out the truly harmful stuff: stepped-on outrage bait from less-reputable outlets, freebased engagement farming from bots pretending to be American citizens, gas-station pill politics from flyover state Republicans with names like Cornstarch van Pelt. The strongest urges for quick fixes will die down within a few days, leaving only the desire for sharp analysis and commentary (*ahem*) and a need to know what’s going on around you.

....(snip)....

My city might be unable to pay its bills, but local officials have easy-to-find phone numbers and someone on the other end whose job it is to hear me out. Your town has meetings you can attend in person, where local cranks will help explain the agenda to you. You can look the people who help make the important decisions in the eye and tell them where they’re going wrong. It’s possible to be an engaged citizen without providing engagement for the worst companies on Earth. A developer is probably trying to get away with something within five miles of your home right now. Go out, meet like-minded people, cause headaches for your local officials. It’s your right. ...................(more)

https://www.salon.com/2025/12/03/the-antidote-to-the-trump-doomscroll/