Digital Hypnosis - Zombie Scrolling

Alpha Rahjone Pukhomai

It always starts with “let’s watch just one more video on how to be disciplined and stop mindless scrolling,” and ends with me decaying on my bed, to random vlogs and endless short videos-¬¬¬¬¬ defeating the purpose I began with.¬¬¬¬¬

I’ve saved hundreds of cooking videos, art and craft tutorials, home workouts, study tips, and productivity hacks, only to let them rot in forgotten folders. It’s a cycle I keep falling into, so do most of us- from toddlers glued to nonsensical content to adults mindlessly doomscrolling every free and not-so-free hour. Is it boredom? An escape from responsibility? Definitely. Are we turning into zombies who feed through digital media, numb to emotions, forgetful of our goals, and detached from reality?

It’s not laziness alone, these social media platforms are designed to trap our attention. Do you even remember the previous short video you watched before you reached here to the new video on your page? The algorithm has learnt to captivate us by showing what we prefer to satisfy our minds temporarily.

Everyone is now familiar with consequences, yet we remain blind to them as if it wouldn’t come and affect us one day. I personally struggle with short attention span. It has become difficult to focus on anything or anyone conversing if it does not pique my interest A LOT. This constant stimulation has rewired how my life processes. Overconsumption of podcasts, self-help videos and various opinions on life has paused my progress as I do not know where to start, what to do and when to do. I have learned that none of this will help me if I continue to scroll, even after recognizing the flaw. Saving another tip and stacking them all won’t make a difference. What we really need is space to hear our own thoughts, to not be afraid of boredom, and to gradually make small changes in life. One problem with our generation is that we’re not patient with ourselves; we want to see progress in a short span of time, which eventually leads us back to square one. For instance, a day missed of working out leads us to think it’s the end, and that we’re not capable of this activity.

It’s not about deleting every app or disappearing offline, but about learning to pause intentionally. If we don’t learn to break this loop and continue to remain egoistic about the hours spent rotting  with  our phone, we won’t know who we are outside the digital world. Merely watching others live their lives and saving videos¬ pretending like we are the one doing does not benefit us.

To overcome it recently, I’ve started noting down every little progress I make. I finally opened the folders I had saved and have been doing small workouts. Reminding myself that every small progress each day rewards my future self. I’m using tips like treating life like a game: filling a jar with colored paper if I do something productive, and none if I don’t. I set fake deadlines for hobbies and avoid scrolling on my phone first thing in the morning and put my phone in “jail”- a literal box to avoid distractions. I also try to eat and do my chores without listening to music or watching YouTube videos, learning instead to be present and let my thoughts flow naturally. Additionally replacing my mindless scrolling with reading articles and long forms pieces.

Escaping this cycle of digital hypnosis won’t happen overnight, but it begins with small, deliberate choices, like the ones I’ve started making. It’s about taking back control of our attention, living in the present, and allowing ourselves the patience to grow at our own pace. Progress isn’t about perfection or speed; it’s about showing up for ourselves day by day and not falling in the trap. Though you fall one day remember to learn from it. Life is enjoyable and so much more meaningful when we are intentional and not striving to be a perfectionist. This write-up is also a commitment to hold myself accountable and keep moving forward, no matter how small the steps may be. It’s a reminder that change begins with awareness and the courage to act.

(The writer is a student of BA 3rd year (English) at Tetso College, Dimapur. She is currently an intern at Eastern Mirror)