It starts with one reel. Maybe you’re between tasks, commuting to your destination, or winding down before bed. Next thing you know, it’s been 45 minutes and your thumb is still flicking through a flood of short videos. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. The rise of short-form content—Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok—has turned scrolling into your default escape. But it’s more than just a habit now; your brain’s addicted. This constant stimulation is reshaping how your mind works, rewiring attention, reward, and focus in real time.
We got an opportunity to visit the BetterPlace Health clinic, a leading mental health service provider in South Delhi. They provide some of the best therapists in Delhi, who helped us understand why our brains are addicted to scrolling and what we can do about it.
Your Brain on Reels: The Dopamine Trap
Dr. Akul Gupta, a consultant psychiatrist at BetterPlace Health, tells us that dopamine is an important neurotransmitter in the brain’s reward system. Each time it is released, it reinforces feelings of pleasure and motivation, which is why it’s often called the “happy hormone.” This natural system is what drives us to repeat behaviours that feel rewarding.
Reels make it impossible to escape the dopamine loop. Before one video stops, the next one starts playing. Before your brain can even register boredom, it gets high on dopamine again. Over time, this constant stream of quick rewards can overstimulate the brain, a pattern often referred to as doomscrolling.
Ms. Sulagna Mondal, a clinical psychologist at BetterPlace Health, adds that each swipe gives your brain an instant dopamine hit. Unlike a movie or a book, you don’t need to commit to anything. The payoff is instant, and your brain starts craving more and more. That’s why it feels so hard to stop.
This quick reward system doesn’t come without its problems, though. The more your brain gets used to the instant hit, the harder it becomes to enjoy slower, more meaningful forms of stimulation, like reading, writing, creative work, learning a new skill, or even deep conversations.
It’s like feeding your brain mental junk food. You feel full in the moment, but there’s no real nourishment.
When Scrolling Starts Costing You
You might be wondering, “So what’s the harm? A few minutes of distraction never hurt anyone, right?” Well, those few minutes turn into hours, and those few hours become a part of your daily routine and habits.
Ms. Lovleena Sharma, a clinical psychologist at BetterPlace Health, shares a few problems that you might face if you scroll too many reels:
- Your attention span and patience suffer. You can’t focus for more than a few seconds, and reading more than a paragraph feels challenging.
- Quiet moments feel empty, like a void waiting to be filled. You feel restless, so you reach for your phone at the first sign of boredom.
- Your sleep starts to suffer. Watching reels before bed stimulates your brain, making it harder to wind down and get a restful sleep.
- You start feeling emotionally burned out because you’re tired from all the overstimulation. Your brain is always turned on.
What Are You Really Scrolling Away From?
When scrolling becomes a part of your routine, it stops being about simple entertainment and becomes something more. It’s often an escape from your thoughts, feelings, anxiety, stress, and even trauma. While a quick dopamine hit may help you keep going just a bit longer, numbing yourself through reels doesn’t solve anything.
In fact, avoiding yourself can actually worsen your mental health over time, making your feelings linger longer than they should.
Read More: Most Effective Brain Exercises to Improve Your Memory
How to Take Your Focus Back (Without Going Off-Grid)
You don’t need to remove your internet service or go live in the woods to get yourself back on track. Instead, you can take small, mindful steps to ensure that you’re not falling into the dopamine loop yet again.
The clinical team at BetterPlace Health compiled some helpful ways you can break your patterns:
- Set micro-boundaries. Don’t scroll in the morning, especially right after waking up. Have dinners without watching anything, no TV, Netflix, or YouTube. Have your meals mindfully, completely in the present moment, be mindful of food’s texture, taste, etc Let your brain rest and take these moments to give it a much-needed break.
- Swap passive for active. Replace just 10 minutes of scrolling with journaling, calling and connecting with a friend, or just stepping outside for a walk. You can also take up any old hobbies you might have had, or learn new ones.
- Relearn boredom. Let yourself be bored. It’s going to be very uncomfortable at first, but it’s important to stay connected to your feelings and give yourself time to process what you’re feeling.
- Practice mindfulness. Even a few minutes of mindfulness, yoga or meditation every day can help rewire your brain and its reward system.
And if you’re feeling addicted, disconnected, or overwhelmed, get support.
BetterPlace Health is an excellent clinic with expert psychiatrists and psychologists in Delhi, here to help you build healthier relationships with your phone, without guilt or extremes. Just 100% personalised treatment plans and compassionate, empathetic care.
