Short read: Does watching reels have the same effect as alcohol on the brain? Neurologist explains a new study

Short video scrolling is the new ‘substance’ that humanity is abusing and is getting addicted to and this time it isn’t just a small cohort. Large swathes of human populations across the world, across generations are getting their ‘kick’ from scrolling short-form videos on TikTok, Instagram Reels, Youtube Shorts and the likes. New research published earlier this year shows that neurological impact of watching them are pretty much the same as alcohol or drug abuse in terms of addictive capability and possibly worse in terms of cognitive deterioration. For those interested in the research paper, you can access it here . Here’s the Indian Express helping us with a summary:

““Short-form video addiction is a global public health threat with users in China spending 151 minutes daily on average, and 95.5 per cent of internet users engaged. This high-intensity ‘instant reward’ consumption not only impairs attention, sleep and mental health but also increases depression risk,” said study author Qiand Wang, a professor of psychology at Tianjin Normal University. Other research has shown how short-form videos can negatively impact attention spans, cognitive skills and even short-term memory.

“Since these are rapid-fire in nature, the brain seems overwhelmed in processing them. Short videos deliver high dopamine experiences with minimal effort, which can overstimulate the brain’s reward pathways, the circuits which are also involved in addictive substances. Over a period of time, this can reduce sensory, natural rewards and increase impulsive behaviour,” says Dr Praveen Gupta, chairman, Marengo Asia International Institute of Neuro & Spine (MAIINS), Marengo Asia Hospitals, Gurugram.”

How exactly are they addictive? “Habitual usage of short videos has been linked to reduced attention capacity. Because reels serve up constant novelty, you flit from moment to moment seeking novelty than doing some deep-focused thinking. As short videos are of varied content, there is frequent context-switching. This can impair the brain’s prefrontal cortex, which guides our thoughts, behaviours and emotions based on the information it receives. Scrolling can affect its ability to hold and manipulate the information due to constant switching.”

The fact that the prefrontal cortex impaired by such activity is supposed to continue to develop well into your 20s means adolescents hooked on to this will unfortunately be the most impacted. “MRI studies have shown that increased screen usage in adolescents correlated with a thinner cortex. Since the prefrontal cortex is still developing in our mid-20s, short-form videos can distort our sense of judgment and regulation of information.”

Short video content is now the predominant form of content consumption online. The interesting piece is that, to cater to this shortening attention spans, advertisers are producing more such content. However, the fact that the viewer doesn’t register anything viewed makes such advertisers’ effort futile with only the platforms (Instagram, Youtube) laughing their way to the bank, having employed accomplished behavioural scientists to ensure users continue to stay hooked.