Have you ever had this experience?
- I just wanted to watch a few minutes of short videos, but when I looked up, two hours had passed;
- I knew it was time to go to bed, but I couldn’t help watching the “last one”;
- Sometimes, you don’t even know why you want to watch, but your fingers just can’t stop...
Why are short videos addictive? Why can’t you stop watching the more you watch?
Behind this, there is actually a set of psychological mechanisms that accurately control your brain, making you fall into the “short video trap” unknowingly!
1. Why are short videos addictive? Psychological secrets revealed!
🔹 1.1 Short Video = "Dopamine Slot Machine"
The design of short videos is based on the mechanism of dopamine.
- Every time you swipe, it's like pulling a slot machine. You don't know whether the next video is good or bad, but you always want to try again.
- Occasionally, when you swipe a super interesting video, your brain will release dopamine, which will make you want to "swipe again".
- The fast pace and strong stimulation of short videos make your brain constantly pursue "the next more interesting content".
🔹 1.2 "Endless Scroll" design, so you never have a reason to stop.
Short video platforms do not have an "end" button because they use the "endless scroll mechanism":
- You don't feel like you've "finished swiping" because the content will never stop;
- Reduce your "decision-making cost", you don't need to choose what to watch, just keep swiping;
- Let you immerse yourself in it and forget about time because there is no obvious "end point".
🔹 1.3 The algorithm feeds you accurately, making you more and more addicted
The algorithm of the short video platform will accurately analyze your interests based on your viewing time, likes, comments, sharing and other behaviors, and then continuously push your favorite content to you.
2. The three major hazards of short video addiction, you may have been infected!
⚠️ 2.1 Make your attention worse and worse
The fast pace and large amount of information of short videos make your brain accustomed to receiving a lot of stimulation in a short period of time, but in real life, many things require long-term concentration.
⚠️ 2.2 Make your brain "tolerance" higher and the threshold of happiness rise
The content of short videos is often highly stimulating, but when your brain is used to this high-intensity stimulation, ordinary things become "boring"!
⚠️ 2.3 Make you lose your sense of time and waste a lot of time
The "endless scrolling" mechanism of short videos makes it difficult for you to perceive the passage of time, causing you to waste a lot of time unknowingly.
3. How to quit short video addiction? 3 ways to help you regain control!
✅ Method 1: Set up a "forced stop" mechanism
Use the "Pomodoro" or "Timed Lock Screen" app to force yourself to stop.
✅ Method 2: Reduce the "stimulation" of short videos
Reduce the frequency of short video use, watch more long videos, documentaries, read articles, and train your concentration.
✅ Method 3: Fill your free time with "alternative habits"
Find more meaningful alternative activities, such as reading, exercise, and writing, and reduce the use of short videos.
4. Conclusion: You are not watching short videos, but your time and life!
Don't let short videos steal your time, attention, and life! Learn to control it, not be controlled by it!
💬 Interactive topic:
Have you ever been addicted to short videos? How long did you watch at most? Welcome to share your story in the comment area!