Short-form media grew in popularity starting back in 2013 with an app called Vine. People online quickly downloaded the app and started posting 6-second videos from all around the world. These short videos were an effective way to capture people’s attention because watching an entire Vine clip required very little time or effort. Although the app was shut down back in 2017, it was quickly replaced with TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and more. Â
Billions of users scroll on their phones for hours at a time using these short forms of media. We do this to distract ourselves from the outside world. Rather than thinking about school or work responsibilities, we can just bury our faces in a small screen and consume media that makes us feel happy, sad, angry, surprised, etc. Even when we have no other tasks to complete, it’s also used as quick entertainment when we’re simply bored. Â
The problem with these platforms is that people think they’re relaxing while using them. Many believe it’s a good way to wind down after a long day, and in moderation that may be the case. But constant use of these apps is very overstimulating on the brain and nervous system. Every 10-second video is entirely different from the last and causes us to feel many different emotions in the span of a couple of minutes. When our brains are constantly experiencing different sounds and images at a rapid speed, they become overworked and exhausted.Â
You may be wondering if this is such a problem; how come everyone does it? Well, many of us are essentially addicted. Every time we scroll, a rush of dopamine travels to the reward center in our brains. This reward center is in the same area that is triggered by addictive substances. Since the majority of people, especially those in our generation, have become addicted to short-form content, this behavior has become normalized.Â
Do not fear! Hope is not completely lost. There are ways to slowly combat addiction to social media apps. For them to work, you must remain intentional with whatever goal you set for yourself. If you set a 20-minute timer to scroll on TikTok, you can’t just snooze it and keep browsing. You can also schedule time into your day to go on social media in an attempt to control when you open these apps. Â
Whenever you feel the urge to scroll, instead try doing something else to keep your mind occupied. You could read a book, go for a walk, stretch your body, listen to music, clean your room, do your schoolwork; the list is endless. Try writing down as many activities as you can think of and reference that list whenever you need to fill time. Lastly, one of the best ways to combat social media addiction is to avoid using your phone first thing in the morning and right before going to bed. Starting and ending the day with an overstimulated mind is the last thing you want to do.
Next time you pick up your phone, keep this in mind! See how your life may change with just a few simple tweaks. Â