I always think about the state I’m left in after closing all my tabs. I feel drained and tired, even though I’ve just been sitting on my bed scrolling through TikTok or Instagram. It’s become a habit. I’ve started to set aside time for this mindless, unnecessary and time-consuming activity. After watching this video by Answer in Progress on Youtube, I thought about the long-term effects this habit of scrolling has had on me.
Acquiring a shorter attention span
I’ve recently come to notice that conversations have grown shorter and people’s ability to listen to others has weakened. On social media, people are now skipping through videos, watching shorter clips, skimming through memes or double-tapping friends’ posts –– all things that can be cut short at any moment they feel like. It’s so easy to switch between apps, watch Netflix, then go back to mindlessly scrolling through our feeds. However, we can’t apply this to real-life situations.
Becoming less tolerant in social situations
Since you’ve created this comfort zone of having your phone on you at all times, you feel uncomfortable when you’re around people who do more than just chat. Gatherings with family or friends often consist of food and chit-chat, then it’s right back to diving into their phones again. Everybody is watching different videos and chuckling at different times. It becomes all about preoccupation, in whichever way possible, to limit social interaction. Everyone’s low tolerance for socializing stems from their unlimited screen time, creating this cycle of phones managing our lives.
Using social media as a coping mechanism
Being addicted to your phone can also have an emotional bearing on you. Our phones now act as our safe haven that we cannot function without. For example, if you’re feeling insecure about your appearance or your failures, you choose to watch other people living their best lives on social media for hours instead of confronting your feelings and reminding yourself just how much you’re worth. You could also be a major procrastinator and choose to scroll through TikTok as a way to get your mind off of the fact that you are procrastinating, “treating” yourself to more unhealthy content. Social media is the frenemy that breaks you down by “putting you back together”.
Growing mental illnesses and instabilities
One thing I have scientific backup for is the fact that mindlessly scrolling every night is one of the reasons our mental health isn’t at its best. Research shows that our mindless scrolling has us grasping for our mental health’s dear life. The connection we have with our phones has multiple side effects including, but not limited to, depression, OCD and degraded social interaction. Gen Z is proven to have the highest rates of mental illnesses compared to the previous generations.
The main problem we’re facing is not the amount of time we are spending on our phones, but how easily we are willing to do so. I know we’re not anywhere near giving up our phones, but I hope I don’t have to witness a completely tech-indulged society. Just imagine how scary that would be!