"I have been a clinician for over two decades, and one thing has become increasingly clear: boundaries today aren't just necessary in relationships anymore, they're about how we relate to information, devices, news, work, and even our own thoughts. In earlier generations, many boundaries existed naturally. We watched the evening news when it aired; newspapers arrived in the morning and were read at leisure; telephones didn't interrupt dinner. The latest trends appeared when your favorite magazine released a new issue."
"For well over a decade, digital devices and platforms have operated 24/7, pushing updates and notifications directly into our awareness at all hours. This constant barrage means that, unlike previous generations, we must work deliberately and consistently to protect our attention and create the boundaries that once existed automatically. It's tempting to act like this is happening to us, that the rise of anxiety is a natural side effect of technology. But that's not the whole story."
Modern boundaries now extend beyond interpersonal limits to include how people relate to information, devices, news, work, and their own thoughts. Older routines created natural boundaries—scheduled evening news, morning newspapers, phones that didn't interrupt dinner, and periodic magazine releases—which did not demand constant attention. Digital devices and platforms operate 24/7, pushing updates and notifications into awareness at all hours, requiring deliberate and consistent effort to protect attention. Anxiety and mental fatigue rise not simply because technology exists but because of engagement patterns and failure to set boundaries. Digital consumption can fuel loops of self-doubt, overthinking, comparison, and emotional volatility in relationships.
Read at Psychology Today
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