{"id":1424,"date":"2026-10-03T07:21:10","date_gmt":"2026-10-03T07:21:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/takhte.in\/VoiceofViews\/?p=1424"},"modified":"2026-10-03T08:24:13","modified_gmt":"2026-10-03T08:24:13","slug":"are-we-addicted-to-our-screens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/takhte.in\/VoiceofViews\/are-we-addicted-to-our-screens\/","title":{"rendered":"Are we addicted to our screens?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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By Barsha Rawat
Student-Neuroscience & Research
Amity University Noida,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How often do you find yourself experiencing anxiety when you are not in proximity to your devices? Have you ever wondered why this happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I mean, has this just become second nature?  Is it a lack of self-control for us to continually allow ourselves to be ensnared by something while still 
feeling so fulfilled?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everything we require, from our morning reminders and alarms to the time we go to sleep, is now only a click away thanks to technological advancements over the years. In this age of fads, rapid developments, and shifting geopolitics, it is important to stay informed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Device usage has certainly become inevitable. It\u2019s so fascinating to have access to all of it on a single screen, no? Well, as appealing as it sounds, our constant need for our phones has now become a topic of concern among mental health professionals, young adults, parents, and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(1)<\/a> It often begins harmlessly\u2014just checking one notification, replying to a message, one round of a video game, or scrolling through a single post. But before you realize it, you\u2019re stuck in a loophole of endless doomscrolling and tapping, feeling the urge to check every notification the moment it appears on your screen, and compulsively playing video games to escape. Each time you engage, your brain encodes that feeling, that sudden craving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is a silent trap that separates a clinical problem from a habit. “Addiction” is the term for this long-term, unhealthy fixation or prolonged, repetitive engagement with something that alters behaviour and may necessitate long-term treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Especially in young adults, the addictive tendencies towards screens have increased rapidly despite the negative consequences, which cause several compromising aspects in an individual, like withdrawal, loss of other interests, adverse mood swings, impaired control, disrupted appetite, sleep schedule, neglected appearance, and strain in relationships. (2,3)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does screen keep us hooked?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As everyone knows, the most well-known neurotransmitter linked to addiction is dopamine. It is mostly produced by the midbrain’s Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) and Substantia Nigra. (4) Dopamine’s main functions include learning and motivation, as well as attention, pain processing, movement, and mood\u2014most notably, producing a strong sense of reward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This cycle of unpredictable outcomes intensifies because you never know what you will get from each notification, video game, or the next post or reel on your screen. Dopamine in trace amounts; anticipation causes the greatest release of dopamine, and each time this happens, the pathway strengthens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each time you experience positive feedback, your brain releases dopamine, which rewires your neural networks, leading to reinforcement learning patterns. These repetitive patterns are responsible for creating behavioural changes, thus making it difficult to resist the constant compulsive and automatic urge to return to our screens, locking us in a constant dopamine loop that creates inveterate patterns even when you know the consequences would be negative. (5,6)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is another behavioral\/psychological phenomenon, a tendency to experience extreme anxiety caused by feeling left out or, say, missing out on the reward.<\/em> The extreme case of FOMO causes an individual to be more reactive towards the \u2018buzz\u2019<\/em> of the notification due to the constant trigger updates and access to information that these platforms provide about an individual’s life and more. (7) <\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The numerous triggers and principles, and the reinforcement mechanism, foster maladaptive behaviour in an individual which persistently keeps us \u2018hooked\u2019 to these screens. (8)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, screen addiction raises several health issues, including sleep deprivation, a short attention span, an increased risk of anxiety and depression, and potential early cognitive decline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A reasonable amount of exposure to electronic media can help a developing child improve in creative thinking, learning abilities, and skills, but excessive use of screen media can lead to poor sleep cycles, poorer academic performance, and exposure to graphic and fast-paced content that triggers dopamine and reward pathways, can cause fluctuated attention spans and hyperactivity, which eventually is associated with ADHD, and antisocial tendencies. (2,9)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can We Break Out of This?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everything has a pessimistic as well as an optimistic outcome. Having access to digital media does harm, but it can be beneficial if used wisely\u2014it’s not about running away from technology but bringing back self-discipline and focus and reclaiming the script of your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n