Solving the riddle of what makes doomscrolling so addictive - The science of brainrot

If you’re like me, there are countless times where you’ve spent 8 hours scrolling on your phone, days, weeks at a time. And every time, unless you’re in a complete bottom of the barrel stupor, you probably feel like a deflated balloon afterwards - drained, dissatisfied, and wondering where your life went.

So why do you do it? Why isn’t your brain’s self defence system kicking in to stop your entrapment in this digital matrix? Why are you a victim of your own vices and why are these algorithms so strong that they pull you away from the life you really want?

We're about to dive deep into the twisted marriage of algorithmic design and neuropsychology. I'll break down exactly how these algorithms trap you and why you’re all to happy to be trapped in the matrix. I’m pulling out the top shelf research papers to highlight how your brain really works.

When I finally woke up from my scrollific stupor and disconnected from the algorithmic entrapment matrix, I asked my mom whether she spends the same amount of time swiping as me. I was astonished to learn that she spends almost zero - that’s right, zero hours scrolling on these algorithmic feeds per day. I wondered how could she be so immune to these digital traps, while they seem to be complete kryptonite for younger people like me.

Although a big reason why is that she didn’t grow up with these algorithms and hence these automatic habit grooves haven’t been engraved into her brain, but another reason why she didn't start this doomscrolling journey in her 40’s may be due to the aging brain. As we grow older, several neurological changes occur that may make us less susceptible to the addictive nature of endless scrolling. The "positivity effect," described by Mather and Carstensen (2005), suggests that older adults tend to focus more on positive information, making negative content less appealing. Additionally, the prefrontal cortex develops stronger connections to the amygdala, allowing for better emotional regulation (Urry et al., 2006).

That means that your pre-frontal cortex has a tighter control on your amygdala. As a kid, you’re amygdala (fear centre) can be randomly spiked by events outside of your control, however as you grow, more checks and balanced on typical operations in the amygdala occur, as you’ve lived longer and hence novel events (that have the potential to kill you!) aren’t that novel anymore and hence can be better controlled by your pre-frontal cortex much better.

Other factors include naturally decreasing dopamine levels, which may reduce the rewarding feeling of constant information seeking, and changes in stress response systems. The Default Mode Network, involved in self-reflection and rumination, also shows age-related changes that could affect how older adults engage with digital content.

Why, relating to our neurobiology is algorithmic control so prevalent? I’ve talked a little bit about addiction and the dopamine reward system, such as my article on leveraging nicotine for productivity, but what is it about the act of scrolling that really captures so much of society?

As in all addictions, the reason behind the addiction is that users are chasing the dragon, they’re chasing an emotion felt at one point of their lives to make themselves feel happy, relaxed or entertained. But what specific dragon are users chasing?

If you ask someone why they’re scrolling you’d be hard pressed to get an answer beyond the typical “I’m bored”. The reason is that users themselves don’t really know what they’re looking for. Only when you peer deep into the unconscious mind do you find the true feedback loops of the swipes.

even before you open your AOC (App of choice) (an interplay of drug of choice hehe), your mind populates the connections of emotions to actions.

If you've ever changed your phone or swapped around icons, you would know that your mind incessantly navigates your finger to the app's previous position. That route is so ingrained in your brain that you do it unconsciously. That's why interrupting it (even via little things like changing positions of icons) can have such a powerful effect on your neurobiology. Your default mode network of actions is interrupted, and if that default mode path is interrupted correctly, it can aid in stopping that addiction.

The following graphic illustrates this process exceptionally well. However, it's important to note that by the time you consciously think about navigating to an app, numerous neural pathways in your brain have already been activated, setting the stage for your action.

So we’re aware of the mechanism that starts this loop, but what really keeps you in this loop? I’m sure every one of us has said to ourselves: “lets scroll until we’ve finished our food”, or “while we’re in the bathroom”, but if you’re one of those meticulous autists and you’ve timed yourself, then you probably know that you take much more time with the phone, than without.

Some people say it's a lack of discipline, others a lack of time management. There's got to be more to the story than a simple lack of discipline. The real story is really about how this type of content changes your time perception and affects context switching behaviour.

Imagine landing on Mars, you step foot onto the new unexplored planet, being the main character of the movie you're about to announce to the world, "one small step fo-" before instantly being teleported onto another planet in an equally ridiculous scenario. That's context switching, and that's really what fries your brain.

I love the teleportation example because that's a visceral idea of what context switching is. It really is like teleportation. One second you're on a planet full of gold, the next you're on Gazorpazorp trying not to step on the shit on the sidewalk. With Netflix at least you get to experience the planet of gold. The goal is to be able to enjoy and bask in the experience, while the "joy" in short-form content is to gamble on which planet you're going to go next.

Your reward isn't the content, or the experience, your reward is novelty itself, effectively short-circuiting your brain to derive pleasure from useful information, to novel patterns

Like space travel, you’re also dilating time when you consume short form content. Not many people understand this, but the way these short form content affect your time perception is especially pernicious:

This combines two powerful effects to completely nuke your brain. You feel like time is flying by when using the app, inviting you to longer sessions on the app.

After usage however you overestimate the time spent, and hence fall into a state of scarcity. It feels like there just isn’t enough time for other things due to the amount of time you spent swiping.

This contrast is one of the reasons why it has such a powerful effect over your emotions. This mismatch between time spent in the moment, and retroactive estimation of time spent completely leaves you disorientated and shellshocked. It’s a form of cognitive dissonance and leads to stress (and it’s really why you feel horrible after finishing scrolling)!

The study also showed that this effect extends beyond tiktok usage into every other task in your life. These algorithms are literally rewiring your brain into how you perceive time, and it’s completely destroying your time estimation ability. This distorted perception of time can impair your time management abilities and makes it challenging to accurately plan and allocate time for tasks (lest you overestimate the time required).

In typical addictive behaviour, there’s always an exit for that activity. When smoking, the cue is that your cigarette ends - most people don’t chain-smoke until exhaustion. Even if you’re drinking and you’re a full blown alcoholic, there’s a cue to stop - when your bottle runs out. Algorithmic superfeeds have no such exit cues.

Infinite scroll has allowed users to be in that flow state with no bright exit lights like other addictive behaviours. The only exit cue you have is time, and it’s already being hijacked with an artificial flow state by the algorithm. You brood and brood again over the time you’re spending on the feed until your state of unhappiness reaches activation energy threshold and you’re finally released from the satanic claws of modern magick.

I really love the habit formation graphic above because it really shows the habit formation system. The goal system is above the default mode network once you’re entrapped by the algorithm, and it’s really the first source of change you really need to apply to your life if you want to get out of the cycle.

It starts with your goal. Those without a clear defined goal (like doing anything to escape boredom) will take the shortest route to dopamine and will be hijacked by their default mode network system and their etched in habits.

If you’re scrolling for 10 hours per day you probably need to rethink your overarching goal system - because it seems like you still don’t have that figured out. Even if you’re scrolling after work, it still seems like your goal - your dream, your ambition is still undecided. You’re either holding your goal in low regard or still placing it under the priority of work at your 9-5 (if you weren’t you’d be scrolling on the job and being productive on side projects once you come home!)

Even if you’re just scrolling in the tram, the bus or while eating, that time still adds up (for most people it’s nontrivial - more than 3 hours per day!). You just don’t have a goal defined (or find it achievable). Far too many people resign to the fact that you won’t be able to finish much or make any progress on your goals in the 5 minutes you have on the bus - well why aren’t you partaking in meditation or deep rest - which will help you make progress instead of littering your mind with short form?

It’s a toxic goal system that is preventing you to living up to your phone potential and unless you face that head on, other strategies like screen time limits, app blockers and tech-free days won’t work (they didn’t work for me!).

If you’re struggling, email or dm me for targeted face-to-face neuroscientific approaches to discover your true potential and rewire your brain.