Blog Entry #2; The Doom-scroll

                                                             Blog Entry #2; Socials

Taylor Schraeder

Imagine this; Someone creates a drug that has been tested repeatedly and proven time and time again to reduce attention span, decrease human memory, increase anxiety in adults, teens and even children, amongst several other side effects; the drug would be banned immediately. Yet, what I am referring to is in our pockets every single day, our phones. Filled with apps that most people spend all day on, over and over and over again.

    Starting off, there is an incredible amount of research on this, it's not something that is debatable anymore. A website that I found to be very interesting and educational is; www.nationwidechildrens.org. (Where I also found the image inserted below.) This article is directed towards children and teenagers, but can definitely be applied to everyone who is spending their time scrolling. A list of bullet points that the website mentions in regard to the negative effects of scrolling include...

Reduced attention span, emotional fatigue, physical symptoms, social isolation, diminished critical thinking, and exposure to harmful and misinformation.

The website goes on to go into depth about each of these points.

    Another credible website I found to be interesting is www.caldwellmemorial.org. This website went in depth about Why doom scrolling is so dangerous. In summary, it can worsen anxiety and other mental health disorders because of the constant negative reinforcement from scrolling. The constant, mini, short-lived dopamine hits from scrolling is addicting to the majority of the population, which has profound negative effects, as described.

    The part that I am personally effected with the most is the comparison aspect. I used to be on socials a ton, though I have seen these negative effects and now it doesn't seem so enticing to scroll. Social media for me Instagram, is mostly a highlight reel. People showing their best moments, at their best angles, with the best lighting, the best caption, etc etc etc. I constantly felt as though I was behind, like I needed the newest trendy items to fit in, like I wasn't as pretty, as funny, as talented yada-ya. I found myself in a constant state of being uneasy and anxious, but I couldn't stop scrolling. This to me is so dangerously negative for teens and children, their brains are still developing and they're still figuring out who they are and what they want to be. It is so detrimental for their development and this has been proven.

    

    We need more authentic art, thoughts, recipes, time outside, socializing, dancing in the rain, admiring what is in front of us and not in our phones, that are designed to keep us hooked in and to become addicted. We need less algorithm and more journals. Less worrying about how many likes we get and more wondering how many sunsets we've watched without a lens in the way. We eed more art created JUST for the sake of making something beautiful and important to you, not for the sake of creating content.