I can confidently say that most of Gen Z shares one nighttime ritual: scrolling on our phones. A portion of us will wait until the cover of night shields us from the guilt of the offense we are about to commit. Oftentimes becoming unmovable forces, stuck in comfort and routine. Some remain fixed on the hypnotic glow of their device for hours on end. Some lie still, waiting until their eyes or screens turn off first.Â
A vast majority of us will sit or lie down for hours on end, scrolling on our phones. We will check Instagram stories, Snapchat our friends, or mindlessly scroll on TikTok. The problem does not lie in the platforms, but rather how long the user uses the app.Â
One of the most popular apps, and my personal favorite, would have to be TikTok. TikTok pioneered short-form video content and created an algorithm system that made it so popular. In 2020, TikTok’s downloads skyrocketed due to an increase in time spent at home.Â
According to the National Library of Medicine, TikTok attracted 4 billion global downloads from January 2018 to November 2022. Social media companies like Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook took note and developed their own versions of short-form content called reels and shorts. As short video content is built into multiple social media apps, repercussions for one’s physical and mental health due to this media has been created.
Short-form videos are characterized as videos uploaded to social media ranging from 15 to 60 seconds. In that amount of time, the brain shifts into reward mode and starts repeatedly releasing dopamine. The release makes the activity of scrolling more entertaining and more desirable, but the constant release means instant gratification; a recipe for a habitual cycle.Â
The fast-paced, short videos train the brain into expecting all information this way, making it harder to concentrate on longer content. With the introduction of the cycle into daily routines, the negative consequences of a simple scroll start to appear.Â
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is not limited to offline relations. Researchers are seeing an increase in cases of shrinking attention spans and reduced memory retention in schools and in the workplace. A study done in Brazil collected data from 2,333 individuals without ADHD starting at the age of 11. Scientists followed up with the participants until the age of 22. They found that individuals with higher screen usage at ages 11, 15, and 18 had an increase in ADHD symptoms and a higher chance of a possible ADHD diagnosis. As short-form video content continues to take over social media, users need to understand the negative effects it has on the brain and on our behaviors. The content can be entertaining and relaxing, but watching it for prolonged periods of time impacts mental health. In addition, experts have found connections between short-form content, and other behavioral health issues like social anxiety, low self-esteem, and depression. This doesn’t mean we have to delete the apps or avoid short videos altogether. Instead, we should watch in moderation, tackle the book we’ve been meaning to read, or watch the TV series that has been on our watchlists.