Has TikTok and Instagram Reels got you doomscrolling until your fingers bleed? Have you watched so much new content that you’re only left with slushy brain rot from the depths of the internet?
Social media addiction has become so normalized that the words you just read weren’t even jarring to you. It’s hard to take your eyes away once you’ve clicked on an app and began the swipe swipe swipe of each video. The new terms, “doomscrolling” (the urge to keep scrolling through videos long after you wanted or needed to get off of an app) and “brain rot” (the nonsensical videos that pop up after scrolling long enough into an app), started being used in the age of TikTok.
From “Skibidi toilet” to “six-seven,” the over-consumption of media is not from the want to watch it, but from the need to consume it.
TikTok, Instagram, and Many More…
The first use of the word “doomscrolling” was found in 2019 with the rise of TikTok and short-form content. And shortly after COVID-19, everyone started seeking out apps like TikTok, prompting Instagram to create Reels.
By swiping up to scroll through videos instead of clicking on a page or link to start watching, TikTok and Instagram started a revolution. There’s no pause between videos, so the seamless transitions cause a time trap. You cannot look away unless prompted by a timed reminder or an outside need.
YouTube released Shorts in the summer of 2021, and Facebook also started using Reels in fall of the same year. Now, wherever you are and whatever social media platform you decide to use, short-form content is there to draw you in, like a meticulously hidden trap.
These new platforms encouraged content that was short enough and interesting enough to keep users scrolling. The louder, the more colorful, and the more interesting it was, users knew they would and should stay for the entire 12 seconds. Think back to the trends from 2020: Savage, the renegade, the Mannequin challenge, the fun transitions. Not only were people entertained, but it made them want to make these videos too. The dopamine released after seeing the likes or views go up and up on a video you tried so hard to make made you want to make more, find more, and scroll more.
Even if you didn’t want to be a part of the trends, you probably still watched as all the videos popped up and made you feel a part of a community. Being on social media meant you were a part of the group, and “in-the-know.” This constant cycle provides a quick dopamine release with every video swipe, and your attention span gets worse and worse the more you watch.
get yourself a Dumb-Phone
No, you don’t have to, but you could. In February 2024, I decided to do just this. I bought a cheap Tracfone (a type of flip phone) that had no access to apps. I bought my minutes and locked my smart phone away. I quit cold turkey.
But why didn’t I just use app timers or parental controls on my smart phone? Well, it’s fairly easy to get around these. The reminders can be snoozed, the pin numbers can be hacked, or you can have someone else help you get around it. Honestly, on all of these apps, you can reset it through your email and easily get back to that quick scrolling euphoria.
I also tried these controls, but every time, I couldn’t be disciplined enough to follow through. Deleting the apps was worth a shot, but I could still access them through web browsers. YouTube isn’t an app you can easily disable either, especially if you have school work you’ll need it for anyway.
Getting a “dumb-phone” worked for a while! I didn’t use any social media or my phone for an entire month, and when the time came, I felt comfortable with using my phone again. I didn’t have the urge to download social media apps or mindlessly scroll through YouTube shorts. I felt better about my life. I was reading more, and finishing my work on time. I had time for friends and family because I wasn’t exhausted from turning my brain into jelly.
Back to Doomscrolling
Unfortunately, I re-downloaded Instagram at the beginning of this summer. I find myself constantly on Reels, even after I delete the app or try to set a timer on it.
The truth is, I want to go back to a “dumb-phone,” but I do schoolwork through apps, which makes it harder to steer away. It’s especially hard when I don’t want to be out-of-the-loop, or when I need someone to explain a trend or phrase to me.
Easy access to the internet is great, but the cost of my attention and time comes with it. Once the semester is over and I’m able to get back into a “dumb-phone” without risking my time away from schoolwork, I think it will be worth it. I truly enjoyed reading more, watching movies, and hanging out with my friends screen-free. I think you will, too, if we can both get away from the trap of hypnotic brain-rot long enough to live life outside of the screen.