Financial Psychology: How to Avoid 'Doom-Scrolling' the Markets and Stick to Your Plan

It’s a perfectly normal Wednesday morning. You’re waiting for the kettle to boil, maybe scrolling through your phone. Then BAM—your thumb freezes. There it is, screaming from your screen: “MARKETS IN MELTDOWN: FTSE 100 HAS WORST DAY SINCE 2022.”

Your heart does a little salsa. You tap. Suddenly, you’re tumbling down a rabbit hole of crashing graphs, panicked tweets, and comments saying “SELL EVERYTHING!” By the time your tea’s steeped, you’ve mentally lost £10,000, decided you’ll never retire, and are wondering if you should move your life savings into gold bars under the bed.

Sound familiar? You, my friend, have just been doom-scrolled.

But here’s the secret they don’t put in the headlines: Every successful investor feels this panic. The difference? They’ve learned how to notice it, wave at it like a neighbour they don’t particularly like, and then get on with their day.

This isn’t about becoming a robot. It’s about understanding why your brilliant human brain turns to mush when markets wobble—and giving you some proper, practical tools to keep your cool (and your portfolio) intact.

Let’s make 2026 the year you break up with financial anxiety.

Image: A friendly, cartoon-style drawing of a person curled up on a sofa with a massive phone. The phone screen is a whirlwind of red arrows, dramatic headlines, and panicked emojis. Outside the window, the sun is shining on a simple garden. Caption: “The Storm on Your Screen vs. The Calm in Your Plan.”

Part 1: Why Your Brain Loves a Good Financial Freak-Out

Meet Your Inner Caveman (He’s Terrible at Investing)

Believe it or not, a part of your brain still thinks you’re foraging in the woods. When you see that big red number—-£1,250—it doesn’t see “paper loss.” It sees “SABRE-TOOTHED TIGER!” This ancient alarm system (the amygdala) floods you with stress chemicals, readying you to RUN or FIGHT.

Selling your shares in a panic? That’s your inner caveman trying to fight the tiger by… well, making a terrible financial decision.

Dr. Anya Sharma, a behavioural scientist in London, puts it perfectly: “The financial news is the modern-day rustle in the bushes. It’s designed to trigger that alarm. Your job isn’t to listen to the caveman; it’s to let the calm, modern you make the decisions.”

The 2026 Doom-Scroll Diet: What You’re Really Consuming

It’s not just news anymore. It’s a perfect storm:

The Anxiety Algorithm: You clicked on one “Are we in a recession?” article. Now your entire feed is serving you “RECESSION PROOF YOUR LIFE” and “THE BIG CRASH IS COMING” videos. The algorithm thinks, “Ooh, they like panic!” and gives you more.
The Comparison Trap: You log into your investing app and see your mate Dave’s (public) portfolio that’s somehow up 15% on obscure tech stocks. Instant FOMO.
The British Weather Effect: Our media loves a good “UK PLUMMETS” or “POUND PUMMELLED” headline. It feels personal, like someone’s criticising your home.

The Real Cost: A recent study found UK investors who checked their portfolios daily during a volatile period made 40% fewer profitable decisions than those who checked monthly. They were too busy reacting to every little wave to sail the ship.

Part 2: Your Pre-Scroll First Aid Kit – Build a Plan You Can Hug

Think of your investment plan like a favourite cosy jumper. When the financial weather gets chilly, you put it on for comfort and warmth. Here’s how to knit yours.

Let’s Build a Plan with Priya, 34, from Cardiff.

Priya’s a teacher who wants to save for her future without daily heart palpitations.

Step 1: The “Why” That Makes You Smile

*”I’m investing £300 a month so that future-me can breathe easier. Maybe work part-time one day, definitely take nicer holidays, and never feel stuck in a job because of money. This is about buying peace of mind.”*
👉 Your Turn: Write yours in one sentence. Put it as your phone lock screen. This is your anchor.

Step 2: The “This is Normal” Pact
Priya writes down: “My portfolio will have bad days, bad months, and even bad years. The FTSE has survived world wars, recessions, and pandemics. A 10% drop is the market’s version of having the sniffles—annoying, but not terminal.”
👉 Your Turn: Acknowledge the wobbles will come. Normalising it takes away its scary power.

Step 3: The “If-Then” Rules (Your Autopilot)
This is the genius part. Decide NOW what you’ll do when panic strikes LATER.

*”IF the market drops 10%, THEN I will… make a nice cuppa and re-read my ‘Why’.”*
“IF I get the urge to sell, THEN I must… wait 72 hours and talk to my calmest friend first.”
“IF I get a windfall, THEN it will go… 50% into the emergency fund, 50% straight into my ISA.”

👉 Your Turn: Create 3 simple “If-Then” rules. It’s like giving your future panicked self a helpful instruction manual.

Image: A colourful, sketched flowchart titled “Priya’s Peace of Mind Plan.” It starts with a worried emoji, then has diamonds with questions like “Market Down >10%?” with “YES” leading to “Make a Brew & Read ‘Why'” and “NO” leading to “Carry On.” It ends with a happy emoji.

Part 3: The Digital Declutter – Make Your Phone Less Stressful

You wouldn’t let a shouting newsreader live in your kitchen. Why let them live in your pocket?

The Gentle App Tidy:

The Mute Button is Your Friend: Go into your broker app settings right now and TURN OFF ALL PUSH NOTIFICATIONS. You are not a day trader. You don’t need a live ticker.
Change the View: Can your app homepage show your holdings list instead of the daily profit/loss? Do that. Focus on the shares you own, not their daily mood swings.
The One-Device Trick: If you can’t resist, delete the app from your phone. Only check your investments on a computer or an old tablet you keep in a drawer. Friction is fantastic!

Curate Your Feed Like a Garden:

Unfollow anyone whose content makes you feel anxious or inadequate. That shouty finfluencer? Muted. That friend who brags about risky trades? Muted.

Follow instead:

The Calm Explainers: Look for folks who explain how investing works, not what will happen tomorrow.
The Long-Termists: The boring people talking about 30-year returns. They’re your new gurus.
Official (But Dull) Sources: The Bank of England YouTube channel is a guaranteed cure for insomnia. Perfect!

Part 4: Mental Gymnastics – Tricks to Reframe the Panic

When the worry creeps in, try these quick thought-switches.

1. The “Zoom Out” Magic Trick

Pull up a chart of the FTSE All-Share Total Return index over 30 years. See all those little scary dips? They look like tiny blips on a massive, upward-sloping mountain.
👉 Action: Screenshot this chart. Call it “The Big Picture.” Look at it when you feel small-picture panic.

*Image: A simple line graph from 1995-2025. The line is wildly jagged but clearly trending upwards. Major events are marked with tiny, funny icons: a little Brexit teacup (2016), a tiny virus (2020), a mini briefcase (2008). The caption reads: “Every crisis, in hindsight, is just a plot point.”*

2. The “Vulture vs. Gardener” Game

Ask yourself: “Am I being a vulture or a gardener right now?”

The Vulture: Circles, obsesses over bad news, feeds on fear, reactive.
The Gardener: Plants good seeds (regular investments), waters them (monthly contributions), patiently weeds (rebalances), and trusts the seasons.
👉 You want to be the gardener. Patient, productive, and ultimately rewarded with growth.

3. The “News vs. Noise” Filter

As you read a headline, ask: “Will this matter to the world in 5 years?”

NOISE: “Fund manager predicts 5% correction next quarter!” (Who cares? It’s a guess.)
SIGNAL: “Global renewable energy capacity doubles in a decade.” (That’s a real trend.)
Tuning out noise is a superpower.

Part 5: Let’s Play “What If?” – 2026 Edition

Let’s practise with some headlines you might see this year.

Scenario 1: “New Tech Bubble About to Burst!”

The Scroll Spiral: “My tech fund! It’s all going to zero! I need to sell before it’s too late!”
The Calm Response: Take a breath. Is your portfolio just a single tech stock? No. It’s a diversified fund. Bubbles pop, but innovation continues. Your plan accounts for sector ups and downs. Do nothing. Make a biscuit selection instead.

Scenario 2: “Inflation Sticks at 4% – Bank of England ‘Helpless’!”

The Scroll Spiral: “My cash is rotting! My investments can’t beat this! We’re doomed!”
The Calm Response: Inflation is a slow burn, not a house fire. Your equities are one of the best historical hedges against it. This is exactly why you’re invested. Check your contributions are still going in—that’s you buying future growth at today’s prices. Stay the course.

Scenario 3: Your ISA is Down… Again.

The Scroll Spiral: Logging in every hour, watching the number, feeling sick.
The Calm Response: Stop logging in. Seriously. Go for a walk. A down market with regular contributions is like a winter sale for your future wealth. Your direct debit is getting you more for your money. This is your plan working.

Your 2026 Anti-Doom-Scroll Action Plan (Pick One!)

You don’t have to do everything today. Just start.

🌱 This Week: Write your “Why.” One sentence. Put it somewhere you’ll see it.

📱 This Month: Mute one source of noise. One app notification, one stressful Twitter account. Feel the relief.

🧘 This Quarter: Schedule your first ‘Calm Check-In.’ One hour in your diary to look at your portfolio with your plan in hand. Not to react, just to review.

Remember: The most successful investors aren’t psychic. They’re just really good at not sabotaging themselves. They’ve built a comfy, boring plan and a peaceful environment so their money can do the hard work of compounding in peace.

You’ve got this. Now, maybe go put the kettle on. And leave your phone in the other room.

P.S. A little note from us: This guide is here to help you feel more confident, not to tell you what to do with your money. All investing has risk, and it’s always wise to chat with a qualified financial adviser about your own personal situation. Think of this as your psychological toolkit, not your financial rulebook. Now, go enjoy your day!