Experts talked about the effect of short videos on the brain

Watching short videos can cause addiction and functional changes in the brain. All the details are in the Izvestia article.

Mechanisms of habit formation

Regular viewing of short videos forms an automatic habit. Alexandra Grazhdanov, a psychologist at AST, explained that people open apps in response to anxiety, boredom, fatigue, or loneliness. According to the expert, MRI studies record the activity of the reward system at such moments and a decrease in the involvement of areas of the prefrontal cortex.

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The attractiveness of the content is related to the intermittent reward mechanism: the user does not know which video will be next, and continues to scroll through the feed. The algorithms of social networks select videos that cause a strong emotional reaction, which enhances the effect.

Physiological symptoms of exhaustion

Frequent use of social media affects the autonomic nervous system. Anton Tikhonovsky, a neurologist at Olympus Clinic MARS, noted that rapid personnel changes can be perceived by the brain as a prediction error, provoking an adrenaline rush. This leads to tachycardia at rest and sweating of the palms. Prolonged exposure to the screen also disrupts the architecture of sleep and causes morning heaviness in the head.

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Among the objective signs of exhaustion of the central nervous system, doctors distinguish twitching of the eyelid muscles and a decrease in reaction speed. In some cases, sensory noise overload can lead to panic attacks, as the real world seems boring to the brain after vivid content, causing a sudden release of cortisol.

Ways to deal with addiction

To correct the behavior of Citizens, he advises practicing digital detox and sensory starvation. An effective method is considered to be a ban on gadgets in the first 30 minutes after waking up and two hours before bedtime. It is also recommended to create a pause of 10-20 seconds before opening the application in order to realize the reason for your desire to use your phone.

Respiratory exercises, physical activity, and mindfulness exercises, such as looking at small details offline, help restore the balance of the nervous system. If the loss of time control is accompanied by a refusal to work, sleep and socialize, it is recommended to seek help from a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist.