Editor’s Note: This article is part of a two-part series on the mental health impact of short-form content. Part 1 explores the experience and psychology behind addictive scrolling. Part 2 offers data, insight, and actionable steps for building healthier habits.

Short-form content platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts have exploded in popularity among teens. Recent reports show that teenagers now spend an average of about 1.5 hours a day on TikTok alone, almost two hours on YouTube, and around one hour on Instagram (Gallup). These videos are usually around 15 to 30 seconds long and are carefully designed to keep you engaged by constantly spiking your dopamine (The Sun). The result? Hours of endless scrolling leave you feeling tired and mentally scattered. Your brain has to work extra hard to keep up with the constant switching, and this eventually leaves your dopamine levels depleted, making it even harder to feel motivated later in the day.

Attention Span

Short videos have been shown to reduce attention spans because they train your brain to crave fast, exciting bursts of information. A 2019 study from the Technical University of Denmark suggested that our collective attention span has been getting shorter over time, and quick, ever-changing content plays a major role (Lorenz-Spreen et al.). Teens who get used to focusing for only a few seconds at a time struggle more with longer, challenging activities like studying for a test or writing a paper.

Actionable Step:

Besides cutting back on screen time, one of the best ways to rebuild your focus is through meditation. Practicing longer breathing exercises teaches you to focus on one thing and to gently bring your attention back when you get distracted. It isn’t about never getting distracted — it’s about learning to return to focus over and over again.

Dopamine Deficit

These videos also leave you in what’s called a dopamine deficit. After all the quick hits of dopamine from scrolling, you end up feeling unmotivated, sluggish, and sometimes even sad. According to neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, one of the best ways to get out of a dopamine crash is to do something challenging that you don’t feel like doing at all (Huberman). This could be taking a cold shower, doing a quick meditation, washing the dishes — anything that requires effort and helps reset your brain’s reward system.

Actionable Step:

Pick something small and mildly uncomfortable, like a quick cold shower or even just tidying up your room. These simple actions help your brain climb out of the dopamine low and make it easier to feel motivated again.

Wasting Time

Short-form videos can easily eat up hours of your day without you realizing it. About 20% of teens report spending more than two hours a day on TikTok alone (Gallup). While it might feel entertaining in the moment, this time often takes away from things you care about — like hanging out with friends in real life, doing hobbies, or just relaxing without a screen.

Actionable Step:

A simple and effective way to limit this habit is to set screen time limits directly on your phone. Framing it positively helps: you’re not “restricting” yourself, you’re choosing to protect your time and focus. While it may not feel easy at first, it’s one of the most reliable ways to cut down on mindless scrolling and free up time for activities that leave you feeling good

Citations

Gallup. “U.S. Teens Spend Average of 4.8 Hours on Social Media Per Day.” Gallup, 20 Nov. 2023, www.gallup.com/analytics/510418/us-teens-spend-average-hours-social-media.aspx.

Huberman, Andrew. “Understanding and Leveraging Dopamine to Drive Motivation & Combat Procrastination.” The Huberman Lab Podcast, episode 39, 23 Aug. 2021, hubermanlab.com/understanding-and-leveraging-dopamine-to-drive-motivation-combat-procrastination/.

Lorenz-Spreen, Philipp, et al. “Accelerating dynamics of collective attention.” Nature Communications, vol. 10, no. 1, 2019, doi:10.1038/s41467-019-09311-w. “The Dangers of TikTok ‘Brain’ and Its Impact on Young Minds.” The Sun, 27 Apr. 2024, www.thesun.co.uk/tech/27343170/tiktok-brain-addictive-children-warning/.