Digital Addiction: The Invisible Pandemic
By Nasir Hamid Khan
“I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interactions. The world will have a generation of idiots.” — Albert Einstein
Well, here we are—a generation of idiots amusing ourselves to death, oblivious to what may possibly be the last great pandemic known to humankind. Oblivious to the fact that handing over digital devices and screens to kids and adolescents will irreparably damage their brains in their formative years. It is akin to connecting your home power circuit to an ultra-high voltage power line. The present condition of our brain is not much different from what would remain of the home circuit. Our 1.7-million-year-old mind is simply not equipped to handle the endless stream of digital information and algorithms that we are exposed to. The result? Isolation and impaired relationships, reduced attention spans, insomnia, stress, decreased cognition, creativity blocks, sadness, anxiety, depression, suicide, and much more. It is the fastest and most pervasive addiction known to humanity.
Smartphones and the allied digital lures are engineered and designed to be addictive, and this addiction kills all creativity, meaning, and purpose from the lives of its users, turning them into digital junkies. Neuroscientists have termed the dopamine deficit state as “learned helplessness.”
We recently organized an event under the “Common Interest Conversations” program at Amar Singh Club, Srinagar, presided over by Prof. S. A. Romshoo, Vice Chancellor of Islamic University of Science & Technology, and chaired by eminent senior advocate Mr. Zaffer A. Shah. The conversation left me scared and anxious as I woke up from my high-octane, digital-stimuli-infused slumber and began coming to terms with the disastrous power I had allowed technology to have over me—and the cost in terms of lost time and relationships.
Expert views shared in this article are mostly attributable to Dr. Anna Lembke, a renowned American psychiatrist, world-leading expert on addiction, Medical Director of Addiction Medicine at Stanford University, and author of three important books on the subject, including the New York Times bestselling book Dopamine Nation. Additional insights have been drawn from Fabeha Syed, host of the popular podcast Urdunama, and Netflix documentaries The Social Dilemma (nominated for seven Emmys) and Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy. I strongly recommend watching them, along with Fabeha Syed’s Urdunama episode on “Brain Rot,” to gain a deeper understanding of the scale of this addiction.
Incidentally, the Oxford Word of the Year for 2024 is “Brain Rot,” which describes the negative effects of consuming too much online content, especially low-quality or unchallenging material. In Urdu, it can be translated as “Zehani Zawaal.”
The Business of Digital Addiction
The digital world today provides endless opportunities for education, research, and intellectual enrichment, which responsible users leverage to their and the world’s advantage. However, they are in the minority. This virtual world appears to have been taken over by vested commercial interests, whose profits grow in direct proportion to users’ online time. We need to draw a clear distinction between healthy usage and problematic usage, which results in impaired minds and disrupted lives.
I am reminded of the words of Urdu poet Vikas Sharma Raz:
“Meray urooj ki likhi thi daastaan jisme,
Meray zavaal ka kissa bhi uss kitaab main tha.”
(Translation: The book that recorded my rise, also contained the story of my downfall.)
Those connected with the online business are now the richest individuals in human history. Billions and trillions of dollars are being made with little regard for the cost to humankind and the planet. Fifteen out of the top twenty individuals on the latest Forbes Billionaires List are engaged in this industry. Their business model is built on surveillance capitalism and planned obsolescence. In this equation, you—and your on-screen attention span—are the product.
The Science of Digital Addiction
A joint study by the Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education and the Faculty of Education and Human Development, Education University of Hong Kong, concluded:
“Digital addiction in children and adolescents leads to structural brain changes, including reduced grey and white matter volume in various regions involved in executive function, reward processing, and sensorimotor activities. These changes impact cognitive capabilities and contribute to problematic smartphone use, internet gaming disorder, and internet addiction.”
Studies have established the negative impact of digital addiction on children and adolescents from multiple aspects—physical, emotional, cognitive, and neurological. For example, it affects:
- Vision and hearing
- Social skills and relationships
- Aggressive behavior
- Higher rates of depression and anxiety
- Reduced attention span, memory, and problem-solving skills
The smartphone has been compared to a modern-day hypodermic needle, providing quick digital hits in the form of attention, validation, and distraction. The obsession with instant gratification keeps us trapped in our limbic brain, which processes emotions, rather than our prefrontal cortex, responsible for future planning and problem-solving.
The Path to Recovery
Experts warn that behavior initially perceived as pleasurable soon plunges users into a dopamine deficit state, where they continue indulging not to feel good—but to stop feeling bad. They don’t enjoy it, yet they cannot stop going back to their screens.
The concept of homeostasis—the body’s natural ability to maintain stability—was first explored by French physiologist Claude Bernard in 1849, with the term coined by American neurologist Walter Bradford Cannon in 1926. When this dynamic equilibrium is disrupted, built-in regulatory mechanisms work to restore balance.
Psychiatrists now recommend 30 days of abstinence from any addictive behavior to allow the brain to reset its neuroadaptive pathways and regain equilibrium. This break allows individuals to realize the true impact of compulsive overconsumption on their lives.
Notably, scientific studies emphasize the importance of “resting mental networks,” which enhance creativity and well-being. An example is actor Aamir Khan, who, in an interview, revealed:
“When I stopped using my phone, I didn’t realize how big a step it would be. It has totally changed my life—I have started thinking again, and my mental windows opened up so fast. Mobile devices had stopped us from thinking. In just six weeks, I completed an assignment that would otherwise have taken two years. Now, I think about my children, my family, and my work—as we used to do before.”
A Call to Action
Beyond structural brain damage, the time wasted scrolling trivial and junk data is a waste of life itself—because time is life. The main challenge in treating digital addiction is that most users remain unaware of their condition. Raising awareness is crucial, but family and community support are equally vital. The problem? Our families and communities are already deeply afflicted by this addiction.
We must embrace a monastic mindset and replace constant pleasure-seeking with “painful pursuits”—such as exercise, fasting, prayers, meditation, and other mind-engaging activities.
Interestingly, what neuroscience has discovered recently was revealed 1,400 years ago by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Every year, Muslims fast during Ramadan, practicing self-control, gratitude, and compassion. Other religions also emphasize fasting and abstinence for spiritual growth.
Keeping these perspectives in mind, our society must unite to combat this addiction. I humbly urge all residents of Jammu and Kashmir, irrespective of religion, to collectively reduce digital consumption and allow their minds to breathe, think, and restore balance—particularly during the holy month of Ramadan.
(Note: Nasir Hamid Khan
Secretary, Amar Singh Club, Srinagar
Former Senior Vice President, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry.)
