The article explores the negative impact of digital dependency on personal well-being and mental health. A personal experience in an Albanian village highlights the liberating effects of disconnecting from technology. The author, an epidemiologist, connects their observations to the idea that excessive screen time functions like an addictive substance. They reference Anna Lembke's concept of "digital drugs" that manipulate brain chemistry, leading to consequences such as diminished attention spans, anxiety, and social disconnection, particularly evident in students reporting overwhelm and fatigue.
"I noticed something liberating: my thoughts began to stretch and expand in ways I hadn't experienced in years. I could form full sentences again without the intrusive impulse to condense them into a text or a social media post."
"I am increasingly convinced that our digital lives are functioning much like addictive substances-offering fleeting pleasure at the cost of long-term well-being."
"What we often refer to as 'screen time' is, in reality, a persistent and escalating exposure to stimuli explicitly designed by tech companies to capture our attention."
"It's not just an occasional problem-it's a persistent struggle that eats into their mental health, leaving them disconnected from both the people around."
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