Many people are left feeling a wave of emotions after spending hours scrolling often resulting into feeling digital fatigue – but we’ve looked into just how you can combat the horrible feeling.
Overstimulation is something we often associate with busy crowds or loud spaces but the digital kind is much easier to miss. And yet, it’s just as damaging. Though it feels like we’re in control, a scroll here, a doom‑scroll there, digital overstimulation can quietly erode our sleep, our focus, even our nervous system.
In 2024, two studies revealed there was identified links between problematic smartphone use (PSU) and depression, anxiety and insomnia. PSU is the pattern of behaviours, feelings and thoughts relating to smartphones, essentially resembling an addition and leaving people feeling upset when the phone is unavailable.
16-18-year-olds who reported PSU were twice as likely to experience anxiety and almost three times as likely to experience depression compared to those who did not report PSU, according to Acta Paediatrica. It comes after the best and worst GP surgeries across the UK were named – check your area.
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The Mirror spoke to author and psychotherapist Tasha Bailey about the direct effects of digital overstimulation and how to protect ourselves without totally switching off from the world.
Tasha points out that our nervous system simply wasn’t built for the constant stream of information we consume daily. “Our brains were never intended to take in this much information, let alone scroll this much,” she says. “We’re constantly surrounded by devices and stimuli, and that can be sensorially exhausting.”
Even though staying updated on global events can feel necessary, she explains that our bodies often can’t tell the difference between watching something happen and living it. “It can trigger a fight, flight or freeze stress response on top of our own daily stresses. That leaves us psychologically exhausted and eventually burned out. Until we make space for sensory rest and listen to our nervous system as much as we listen to the news, we’ll just keep feeling more anxious.”
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So if we know it’s harming us, why do we keep scrolling? Tasha says it comes down to instinct. “Our brains are wired to scan for danger,” she explains.
“Even when something is graphic or difficult, we feel hyper‑vigilant to whatever feels uncertain or out of our control. Once you’re emotionally activated, it’s hard to regulate and walk away.”
How to protect yourself without completely shutting off
Switching off entirely isn’t realistic or even always desirable but Tasha suggests making small, conscious changes. “Start your day by checking in with yourself before checking your phone. That’s a way to integrate sensory rest into your day start with reflection instead of distraction,” she says.
And when something online upsets you, she recommends turning that feeling into something useful. “When something you see upsets you, channel that into action even something small, like donating, volunteering, or reading more about the issue. It shifts you from helplessness to empowerment.”
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