Hi! It’s your fellow chronically online girlie with a criminally high screentime split between every social media app out there. Like all of you, technology is deeply intertwined into every aspect of my life, so much so that my friends call me the “first responder” because of how quick I am to find and share the latest bit of new information. My phone is always with me, and I, with it – texting, watching videos, answering emails, finishing projects, and the to-do list goes on. Statistics show that most of Gen Z spends an average of six to seven hours per day on our phones. (If you’re thinking what I know you’re thinking, that definitely includes you.) These are the highest screentime reports out of any generation. Simply put, we’re hopelessly addicted. We were hooked from an early age, unaware of its magnitude. My mother used to have to pry open my tightly gripped hands from around my phone. As soon as I had a device to call my own, it became a part of me. It still is and probably always will be. I wish I listened to my mom because she was right – it really do be the phone.
I feel myself deteriorating every time I disappear into my screen. Whether it be my thinking skills, mental health or my attention span. Even as I am writing this, my focus is dwindling. I had a whole different concept in mind, then I got distracted on my phone and forgot what I was thinking. My thoughts come and go like the neverending stream of content that my algorithm feeds me. Less and less time goes by until I’m onto the next thing. It doesn’t help how embedded our phones are in our day to day schedules. We’ve become so dependent on it, that our brains can’t function without us checking our notifications every morning. While there are the positive beneficial attributes, like staying in touch with loved ones, attending to work related projects, generating inspiration, etc, I fear the negative are outweighing them.
As mentioned, my critical thinking skills are terrible, to simply put it. With A.I. seemingly dominating the media, I’ve started to realize I cannot think for myself. When I do, it’s either very general and I need help to expound or I completely go blank. The bedrotting, doomscrolling flow state we all know and love is a subliminal space that is both ultra-stimulating and mind-numbing all at once. This goes hand in hand with my declining attention span. I need to watch something new every five seconds to boost my serotonin levels. However, with highlighting the positive attributes I’ve found like sparking deep and insightful conversations with myself and my peers, it has come in handy. Another thing I’ve noticed is how desensitized I’ve become to certain situations and instances. Without going into the nitty gritty, it feels like a form of conditioning and it’s hurting my emotional and mental health. I am becoming a robot with high stress and anxiety, like the rest of my generation. Gen Z reports the worst impact with 73% of people saying their phone negatively affects their mental health and I am of that percentage.
Thankfully, being self aware has forced me to reflect on my phone usage, straying away from mind-numbing algorithms into more productive ventures, even if it includes the use of my phone.
Really, it’s all about self control and not letting myself get sucked further into this blackhole. As a result, I’ve slowly placed limits on what I’m allowing myself to consume and the timeframe in which I do so, without becoming ignorant of real issues and matters. Now this may seem like common sense but saying and doing are two different things. I don’t want to end up as a mindless robot. I don’t want to be forever glued to a screen nor do I want my peers to be. Addiction is met with recovery, and it’s time for me and our generation to start rehab because in the end, it really do be the phone.
Words by Ari Young Sang
Collaborator Audrey Magarian
Graphics by Eve Friday