WHAT MEAN DOES CUTTING DOWN SEEM IMPOSSIBLE?
Cutting back is difficult because of instant gratification, which may be why two-thirds of teen respondents to the same CNA-IPS study struggle to do so.
The dopamine system in the brain is hijacked by social media and video apps, leading to a cycle of regular novelty-seeking. Every “like,” alert, and video deliver a small dopamine hit, many like a slot machine, where the odd get keeps users enthralled.  ,
This basically rewires the mind over time, making focus harder and stillness feel intolerable. The effects go beyond social media.  ,
Almost 60 % of adults in the US state that they check their phones while driving, and one in four employees say they are more distracted at work than they have in the past, with over half citing social media as the main culprit.  ,
A modern detox feels less like a good reset and more like a withdrawal, which causes anxiety and discomfort because screens are so important to our daily lives.
Additionally, these programs have been designed for forced use. While algorithms carefully amplify material that elicits severe mental responses- dramatic news, outrage, and so on, eternal scrolling, autoplay, and push notifications are designed to maximize engagement.  ,
Cutting lower is difficult because these systems were created to produce restraint feel strange, not because we lack courage.
Social support worsens our dependence, to add to it. Detaching feels isolating when everyone around us is plugged in. We are ensnared by the need to be connected.