I've been playing 1 year and I recently went through exactly the same thing you're talking about. Both picking styles are useful. Alternate picking is more common and it's easier for keeping time but I hear it's good to practice both. Just practice your scales again, that thing someone mentioned with picking every note of the scale twice might help. I should try that one myself. I'm guessing the economy picking is useful for really really really fast soloing but I'd use alternate for everything else.