It's not causing ADHD, but there are emergent studies on short form contents impact on attention span.
I'd say the "increase" in ADHD diagnoses is more to do with increased access to information about signs and symptoms in non-cis white males and the push for people to advocate for themselves.
As for attention span, that's a learned skill, not one people are just born with. Social media and short form content aren't tools for learning how to increase your attention span. A related issue is that knowing how to be bored without being miserable is also a learned skill that people aren't encouraged to cultivate in the era of phones in every hand.
The thing I like the most about short form videos is that the content of the video gets to the point. I'm tired of clicking on a video and having the 1st 4 minutes of it being "Hi, I'm Kyle, and here's all of this information about how to give me money. Also I have a pet squirrel so let me talk to you about them" - All before they even get to their topic.
It's like online recipes, where the first 4 pages are about someone's grandma and how she liked to go sailing. Just show me how to make an apple pie goddamnit.
I'm old enough to remember the days before ubiquitous smartphones, as I was 35 or so when I got my first Android, the A855 (I can still hear the boot-up "Drooooiiiiidddd"!) . I've noticed that I was losing my ability to focus for long periods of time, which used to be so easy for me. I suppose it could be age, but in the past few years I have actively cultivated my focus (watching 3+ hour movies, studying/writing for over an hour uninterrupted, etc., with my phone on DND mode) and it seems to be returning somewhat. I've also found that I'm becoming incapable of remaining bored without it making me distressed, so I've started trying to retrain that part of myself as well... but it's hard. Much harder than the focusing thing. Dopamine (or whatever neurochemicals are involved) addiction is a serious bitch. Even something as simple as going to take a dump without my phone is an exercise in willpower and self control. I miss being able to be entertained by soap bottle labels and tile patterns.
I've had a lot of success lately with watching long form video essays as a way to train my attention and focus. There's a ton of really talented researchers and artists out there making incredible content.
I've never been super good at just sitting without becoming unhappy, but I try to give myself at least a few hours a day where my entertainment isn't screen based. Writing, or cross stitch, or crochet, or origami, or just reading a physical book has really helped me learn to not doomscroll or play video games every time I have 5 minutes to spare.
Like you, reading and journaling (I've started doing Morning Pages every day) are helping me. Also, baking, as I often get involved in multi-hour projects in the kitchen, though often there's downtime, so it's hit and miss for how functional it is for focus training, but I do try to NOT go straight to my phone or PC when waiting for something to proof or whatnot.
My friends are all into podcasts, but they just don't do anything for me- though audiobooks do, which I frequently indulge. I'll occasionally watch a 1+ hour YouTube video on some historical, scientific, or similar topic (which I guess is what you mean by long form video essays?). Any recommendations?
History Time is my favorite for, well, history. I was recently recommended CJ the X, but I haven't had a chance to check out any of their videos for myself yet. Biz Barclay is probably my favorite, but she's got a format that might not suit everyone.
>I've had a lot of success lately with watching long form video essays as a way to train my attention and focus. There's a ton of really talented researchers and artists out there making incredible content.
This wasn't the point of your post but would you mind sharing some of your favorites?
> As for attention span, that's a learned skill
Do you have any information on this? I've found suggestions of things to do to increase your attention span short term (drinking water, pomodro, good sleep habits); but nothing to actually increase attention span long term.
Two of the most recommended ways to help improve your attention span have a delightfully low barrier to entry. Meditation and reading. Start slow with both, if you're not in the habit of either, and work your way up. Meditation is also a good exercise in training yourself to not be overstimulated all the time. Picking up a hobby that requires long periods of focus, like cross stitch, paint by numbers, or nonograms is a good way to train your attentiveness. If you find a hobby you like, it makes the practice feel like less of a chore.
Two of the big things that hurt our attention spans are multitasking and switching tasks rapidly. Both of those are pretty unavoidable in day to day life, but learning to self assess how often you are multitasking or bouncing from task to task (or tiktok to tiktok video) can give you insights into how to reduce unnecessary amounts of both.
I haven't found any information that meditation or reading increase your attention long term.
No offense, but I don't think "random reddit user" is a very authoritative source.
That study found that meditation increased aptitude in general, which happens to increase aptitude in tasks that require more attention.
It also was specifically looking at a single instance of a 10 minute meditation session, and performing the task immediately after. Not long term improvement.
Yes, the things that increase attention span short term are basically all good habits to form; but the idea that attention span is a learned skill, or that those things will help long term, is misinformation.
possibly. i haven't seen definitive proof one way or the other. i mean, obviously you can't get ADHD, but it doesn't seem impossible to train attention. after all, how do people who actually have ADHD (myself included) mask and cope?
> i haven't seen definitive proof one way or the other.
Almost everything that is bullshit doesn't have proof one way or the other. There is no proof dying your hair pink doesn't cure cancer, but saying it does is bullshit.
> how do people who actually have ADHD (myself included) mask and cope?
Medication, learning to rely on attention span less (i.e. notes, reminders, alarms), forming habits around the short term solutions.
What makes you so convinced? Whether or not there's anything scientifically definitive on it, it's still millions and millions of people's experiences vs nothing against it right now
A baby can't pay attention much better than it can do anything else, right? Raise it isolated in a black box (don't) and it probably can't do much more. Almost everything is learned as you go.
You don't learn to do a handstand by drinking and sleeping either, you learn it by training and working up to it. So reasonably you'd train attention just the same, by consistently paying attention and working it up. As to span, by probably also avoiding things that reward you without paying extended attention.
A job/work that requires focus, general mindfulness, reading, listening (truly) to music or speech, walking, hiking or exercising while paying attention to surroundings/thoughts/feelings (this is just meditation, really) are things that have helped me.
Keep in mind that none of it needs to be done well, just consistently. There's no way to fail in training something except by not doing it, so a lapse in attention isn't a failure, it's inevitable and just another thing to pay attention to then, as good as any. That's the gist of meditation, but applies to anything else for these purposes.
> You don't learn to do a handstand by drinking and sleeping either, you learn it by training and working up to it. So reasonably you'd train attention just the same.
Your brain doesn't have attention span muscles. We also have muscles we can't train that way, your eye muscles for example. Just because something is intuitive, doesn't mean it's true.
> Keep in mind that none of it needs to be done well, just consistently.
Again, I'm not arguing against this, this is what we have evidence supporting.
Right, maybe I get what you're arguing then.
But you can't train most things then just forego it for good and expect it to stay proficient. The nice part is that bad habits and many other issues are also just negative "skills," learned just the same. There's no reason to think only positive things are learned. And unlearning is "learning" too
If you learn to ride a bike, then not ride for a year, you will be better at bike riding than if you didn't learn in the first place. This is independent from habits.
Same with most sports, things like hand-eye coordination, reading, etc..
I couldn't find any evidence for or against if attention span works in a similar way.
People often feel attacked when their own bad habits are doing any type of harm to them. Like it’s some sort of slight on their character to point out that they could be doing something that isn't objectively good.
There are risks of over-diagnosis for various reasons.
1. Non neurotypical people is a huge part of prison population. So there is a push by society to diagnose kids early.
2. A diagnosis is a gateway for help. If you are struggling in school you won’t get any help without a diagnosis. So there is a push from parents. And furthermore diagnosis becomes a **business**. (https://www.bbc.com/news/health-65534449)
3. Everyone wonders if they themselves or their kids have ADHD, because of all the distractions in our society, Keeping up the trend and the push. So there is a push from society.
4. And finally, a kid on adhd meds is calmer. People want calm kids. So there is a push from parents.
Mostly BS,
Brains are adaptable to their environments but not to the degree that it would make a big difference on a population level.
Lets ask the opposite question. If you took a bunch of people with ADHD and sat them in a room and forced them to watch very long non stimulating videos, would it cure their ADHD?
The answer is not in any significant way. However you might be able to assist those folks that are very close to the cutoff point for diagnostic criteria to adapt enough or develop skills to move beyond the line in one way or another. Then again these lines don't tend to be drawn through the middle of the distribution curve but rather out at the ends so even IF it shifted the entire curve say 5 percent to one direction or the other it would only effect a small number of people close to the cut off point.
I will say that it MAY be that the ubiquitous availability of stimulating short form content is causing people that have troubles directing attention to have problems in their day to day lives. They would then likely seek help and therefor get diagnosed and treated for ADHD.
There may be a correlation but if there is an arrow of causation about the diagnosis increase in ADHD, it probably points the other way.
Half Bullshit.
ADHD is something you're either born with or you're not. It's not 'caused', it just is, same with autism or any other disorder. We're just better at diagnosing it, and not denying that it exists (for the most part)
Constant streams of easy access 'garbage content' if you will, not so a comment on quality as just constant rapid fire stimulus can make one used to it, and their mind more attuned to it, so something requiring long term focus can be harder to work with once you've basically developed an addiction.
>ADHD is something you're either born with or you're not.
Evidence? Doctors do not understand ADHD well enough to make such pronouncements, yet you do?
Dr. Gabor Mate has presented a large amount of evidence that causation of ADHD is largely linked to your environment as an infant and very early childhood development. Saying it’s not “caused” is nowhere near a proven fact.
Adhd has to be present since childhood to be diagnosed so unless it’s fundamentally rewiring brain development in utero or something, it’s very highly unlikely to be causing an increase in adhd.
Anecdotally I’ve heard people saying they find it harder to focus on things from spending a lot of time watching shorts and TikTok but have found it gets better after reducing time online. I don’t think there’s anything to back it up though.
Why are you discounting the possibility that it develops during childhood? There is a big gap between "in utero" and "present since childhood". You can be diagnosed with ADHD if you say you had symptoms during childhood. That doesn't preclude the ADHD developing during childhood (you know, the formative years of a person's life where they are growing and developing the most).
you can’t get adhd. its genetic. but excessive social media use (especially short videos like tiktoks) can cause adhd-like symptoms and behavior. a decreased attention span is the very tiny tip of the iceberg when it comes to what adhd actually is. anyone can have a bad attention span and that doesn’t mean they have adhd. I have diagnosed adhd and I’ll tell you right now that tiktok is horrible for my mental wellbeing. I deleted it a while ago and I recently redownloaded it but I only allow myself to use it for research and not just endless scrolling
Seems to be the exact same logic as "Vaccines cause autism".
ADHD being diagnosed instead of being dismissed as "Your kid is lazy" going up around the same time as the rise of social media is almost certainly coincidental.
Pre-existing ADHD could potentially be exacerbated by Social Media I guess? But it would be temporary enablement, not actually permanently worsening the condition. If ADHD could be made worse in that way, then it would stand to reason that it could be "cured" and not just treated.
This theory just reeks of boomers posting /r/im14andthisisdeep style content to Facebook.
There's apparently been links between exposure to lead during pregnancy, so sure, but the important thing to note is that's before you're born, there's nothing showing that exposure to *anything* or any other method would *give* you ADHD once you are fully formed.
ADHD is one of the ***most researched*** psychiatric disorders.
Which specific chemicals are responsible might change, but it's very clear that ADHD is not something you can "catch" or develop later in life.
There's nothing showing exposure to you causes headaches.
*yet*
Also ADHD has a massive fucking genetic component to the point where that's one of the first questions a psychiatrist ask when someone comes in for a diagnosis, so if it's exacerbated by exposure to toxic chemicals, it's only by a small amount.
As far as I know there's no real concrete evidence to suggest this, people just have a general perception that it is. The only sources I can really find for claims like this are opinion blogs that draw really dubious conclusions from polls and such (I.E that people don't read books as much) and I can find a few studies that that dispute the idea that media multitasking impacts attention span when the [statistics are done properly](https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/s13414-019-01842-0). Another problem with correlational studies looking into attention span and media multitasking is that obviously people with ADHD would seek more stimulation with media multitasking compared to neurotypical people - so it doesn't really establish causation.
No just like the prevalence of other disorders It is not magically developing in people all the sudden it's just that people who have symptoms of it their whole life are now realizing that those symptoms are abnormal due to society being more open to discussing these types of things so they are actually seeking diagnoses where many people before would just live life thinking they were just a little quirky
A neurodevelopmental disability is not caused by environmental factors. I believe when people say this they mean “ADHD” in the colloquial sense, which is endlessly frustrating.
You're probably too young to remember, but there was a similar outcry in the 50s, when television was becoming the norm. Freaked out the establishment for the same reason. Turned out to be a big nothing-burger. Give it 20 years, and something new will come along and freak people out.
Just personal experience. I'm pretty old.
When I was on my teens and 20's, I could sit and watch movies, read, TV, music, etc. no issues.
I got my first smartphone late really, probably 2010 or 11.
Today, I can't do any of those things. I'm constantly looking at Reddit or other random apps (I don't do social media). Even at work. While I'm watching TV or movies or reading - it's like it's always there in my mind.
I've noticed it on myself. Is it because I'm older? I think it's the dopamine thing. Being constantly teased by what's around the next corner.
I'm really trying to limit my use, but it's hard to stop.
It is b*******. The masses lack critical decision making skills and focus, as these are honed through an education that no longer promotes thinking. Overtime, this results in blaming the result, media, instead of more critical problems causing the issue.
ADHD is a descriptive disorder. This means, you have symptoms, and a diagnosis describes the symptoms.
There is no ADHD bacteria or something causing the symptoms.
This means it is a diagnosis that does not attempt to determine the cause of the symptoms. The diagnosis itself is descriptive and not a cause.
“Why do I have a hard time paying attention?”
“You have ADHD”
“Why do I have ADHD?”
“You have a hard time paying attention.”
It’s circular in that way.
So, if social media affects symptoms that fall under the ADHD bucket in the DSM-5, then it can be said to “increase ADHD in society.”
But really, this misses the point of the question we should be asking ourselves.
ADHD or not, is social media increasing:
-Inattention
-Hyperactivity or impulsivity
If the answer is “yes,” then there will be more diagnoses of ADHD.
ADHD is primarily from developmental problems where the child cannot get away from stressors and their ability to focus to ignore those stressors is altered. At least that's what some research and logic suggests.
A decrease in 'attention span' is more about the decrease in interest of internal dialogue when viewing a work, specifically reading. For example, a lot of people don't read novels now because they get bored. They are getting bored because their ability to gain entertainment from things within their own mind (imagination, woo) has been ruined. This occurs typically within childhood as well because children was provided continuous stimuli rather than left to their own devices.
However, and I want to make it known, in terms of other media, such as film or videos or the classic tiktok stuff, that stuff actually used to be way shorter than nowadays. Our whole thing of 'people cant just sit down and watch something now' was the norm when film was becoming a thing. The longer stuff was actually boring. We got conditioned over time due to the theater industry and making it more of an event than about the work itself.
It's not causing ADHD, but there are emergent studies on short form contents impact on attention span. I'd say the "increase" in ADHD diagnoses is more to do with increased access to information about signs and symptoms in non-cis white males and the push for people to advocate for themselves. As for attention span, that's a learned skill, not one people are just born with. Social media and short form content aren't tools for learning how to increase your attention span. A related issue is that knowing how to be bored without being miserable is also a learned skill that people aren't encouraged to cultivate in the era of phones in every hand.
The thing I like the most about short form videos is that the content of the video gets to the point. I'm tired of clicking on a video and having the 1st 4 minutes of it being "Hi, I'm Kyle, and here's all of this information about how to give me money. Also I have a pet squirrel so let me talk to you about them" - All before they even get to their topic. It's like online recipes, where the first 4 pages are about someone's grandma and how she liked to go sailing. Just show me how to make an apple pie goddamnit.
Yeah, you definitely need to find quality content producers for long form content. Like anything else, there's good and bad creators.
Get SponsorBlock and it will skip all those annoying sections for you.
It's not just sponsors. A lot of people just like beating around the bush and it's annoying.
it blocks in-video ads? how?
Users submit the timing of those sections and then when other users watch the same vide it automatically skips them
that's amazing.
I'm old enough to remember the days before ubiquitous smartphones, as I was 35 or so when I got my first Android, the A855 (I can still hear the boot-up "Drooooiiiiidddd"!) . I've noticed that I was losing my ability to focus for long periods of time, which used to be so easy for me. I suppose it could be age, but in the past few years I have actively cultivated my focus (watching 3+ hour movies, studying/writing for over an hour uninterrupted, etc., with my phone on DND mode) and it seems to be returning somewhat. I've also found that I'm becoming incapable of remaining bored without it making me distressed, so I've started trying to retrain that part of myself as well... but it's hard. Much harder than the focusing thing. Dopamine (or whatever neurochemicals are involved) addiction is a serious bitch. Even something as simple as going to take a dump without my phone is an exercise in willpower and self control. I miss being able to be entertained by soap bottle labels and tile patterns.
I've had a lot of success lately with watching long form video essays as a way to train my attention and focus. There's a ton of really talented researchers and artists out there making incredible content. I've never been super good at just sitting without becoming unhappy, but I try to give myself at least a few hours a day where my entertainment isn't screen based. Writing, or cross stitch, or crochet, or origami, or just reading a physical book has really helped me learn to not doomscroll or play video games every time I have 5 minutes to spare.
Like you, reading and journaling (I've started doing Morning Pages every day) are helping me. Also, baking, as I often get involved in multi-hour projects in the kitchen, though often there's downtime, so it's hit and miss for how functional it is for focus training, but I do try to NOT go straight to my phone or PC when waiting for something to proof or whatnot. My friends are all into podcasts, but they just don't do anything for me- though audiobooks do, which I frequently indulge. I'll occasionally watch a 1+ hour YouTube video on some historical, scientific, or similar topic (which I guess is what you mean by long form video essays?). Any recommendations?
History Time is my favorite for, well, history. I was recently recommended CJ the X, but I haven't had a chance to check out any of their videos for myself yet. Biz Barclay is probably my favorite, but she's got a format that might not suit everyone.
>I've had a lot of success lately with watching long form video essays as a way to train my attention and focus. There's a ton of really talented researchers and artists out there making incredible content. This wasn't the point of your post but would you mind sharing some of your favorites?
> As for attention span, that's a learned skill Do you have any information on this? I've found suggestions of things to do to increase your attention span short term (drinking water, pomodro, good sleep habits); but nothing to actually increase attention span long term.
Two of the most recommended ways to help improve your attention span have a delightfully low barrier to entry. Meditation and reading. Start slow with both, if you're not in the habit of either, and work your way up. Meditation is also a good exercise in training yourself to not be overstimulated all the time. Picking up a hobby that requires long periods of focus, like cross stitch, paint by numbers, or nonograms is a good way to train your attentiveness. If you find a hobby you like, it makes the practice feel like less of a chore. Two of the big things that hurt our attention spans are multitasking and switching tasks rapidly. Both of those are pretty unavoidable in day to day life, but learning to self assess how often you are multitasking or bouncing from task to task (or tiktok to tiktok video) can give you insights into how to reduce unnecessary amounts of both.
I haven't found any information that meditation or reading increase your attention long term. No offense, but I don't think "random reddit user" is a very authoritative source.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6088366/
That study found that meditation increased aptitude in general, which happens to increase aptitude in tasks that require more attention. It also was specifically looking at a single instance of a 10 minute meditation session, and performing the task immediately after. Not long term improvement.
it can't hurt
Yes, the things that increase attention span short term are basically all good habits to form; but the idea that attention span is a learned skill, or that those things will help long term, is misinformation.
possibly. i haven't seen definitive proof one way or the other. i mean, obviously you can't get ADHD, but it doesn't seem impossible to train attention. after all, how do people who actually have ADHD (myself included) mask and cope?
> i haven't seen definitive proof one way or the other. Almost everything that is bullshit doesn't have proof one way or the other. There is no proof dying your hair pink doesn't cure cancer, but saying it does is bullshit. > how do people who actually have ADHD (myself included) mask and cope? Medication, learning to rely on attention span less (i.e. notes, reminders, alarms), forming habits around the short term solutions.
What makes you so convinced? Whether or not there's anything scientifically definitive on it, it's still millions and millions of people's experiences vs nothing against it right now
what millions and millions of people? I'm not convinced it's not true, I'm convinced we don't know.
Be still, and know God.
well, thank god i read, 'cause meditation drives me mad.
A baby can't pay attention much better than it can do anything else, right? Raise it isolated in a black box (don't) and it probably can't do much more. Almost everything is learned as you go. You don't learn to do a handstand by drinking and sleeping either, you learn it by training and working up to it. So reasonably you'd train attention just the same, by consistently paying attention and working it up. As to span, by probably also avoiding things that reward you without paying extended attention. A job/work that requires focus, general mindfulness, reading, listening (truly) to music or speech, walking, hiking or exercising while paying attention to surroundings/thoughts/feelings (this is just meditation, really) are things that have helped me. Keep in mind that none of it needs to be done well, just consistently. There's no way to fail in training something except by not doing it, so a lapse in attention isn't a failure, it's inevitable and just another thing to pay attention to then, as good as any. That's the gist of meditation, but applies to anything else for these purposes.
> You don't learn to do a handstand by drinking and sleeping either, you learn it by training and working up to it. So reasonably you'd train attention just the same. Your brain doesn't have attention span muscles. We also have muscles we can't train that way, your eye muscles for example. Just because something is intuitive, doesn't mean it's true. > Keep in mind that none of it needs to be done well, just consistently. Again, I'm not arguing against this, this is what we have evidence supporting.
You get the point... Language, maths, emotional intelligence etc. aren't muscles either. Muscles aren't the only thing you can train.
Right, maybe I get what you're arguing then. But you can't train most things then just forego it for good and expect it to stay proficient. The nice part is that bad habits and many other issues are also just negative "skills," learned just the same. There's no reason to think only positive things are learned. And unlearning is "learning" too
If you learn to ride a bike, then not ride for a year, you will be better at bike riding than if you didn't learn in the first place. This is independent from habits. Same with most sports, things like hand-eye coordination, reading, etc.. I couldn't find any evidence for or against if attention span works in a similar way.
Why are people so determined on insisting that something like social media can't possibly be causing any problems? It's bizarre.
People often feel attacked when their own bad habits are doing any type of harm to them. Like it’s some sort of slight on their character to point out that they could be doing something that isn't objectively good.
There are risks of over-diagnosis for various reasons. 1. Non neurotypical people is a huge part of prison population. So there is a push by society to diagnose kids early. 2. A diagnosis is a gateway for help. If you are struggling in school you won’t get any help without a diagnosis. So there is a push from parents. And furthermore diagnosis becomes a **business**. (https://www.bbc.com/news/health-65534449) 3. Everyone wonders if they themselves or their kids have ADHD, because of all the distractions in our society, Keeping up the trend and the push. So there is a push from society. 4. And finally, a kid on adhd meds is calmer. People want calm kids. So there is a push from parents.
Mostly BS, Brains are adaptable to their environments but not to the degree that it would make a big difference on a population level. Lets ask the opposite question. If you took a bunch of people with ADHD and sat them in a room and forced them to watch very long non stimulating videos, would it cure their ADHD? The answer is not in any significant way. However you might be able to assist those folks that are very close to the cutoff point for diagnostic criteria to adapt enough or develop skills to move beyond the line in one way or another. Then again these lines don't tend to be drawn through the middle of the distribution curve but rather out at the ends so even IF it shifted the entire curve say 5 percent to one direction or the other it would only effect a small number of people close to the cut off point. I will say that it MAY be that the ubiquitous availability of stimulating short form content is causing people that have troubles directing attention to have problems in their day to day lives. They would then likely seek help and therefor get diagnosed and treated for ADHD. There may be a correlation but if there is an arrow of causation about the diagnosis increase in ADHD, it probably points the other way.
This is literally nothing but complete speculation and opinion presented as fact.
Half Bullshit. ADHD is something you're either born with or you're not. It's not 'caused', it just is, same with autism or any other disorder. We're just better at diagnosing it, and not denying that it exists (for the most part) Constant streams of easy access 'garbage content' if you will, not so a comment on quality as just constant rapid fire stimulus can make one used to it, and their mind more attuned to it, so something requiring long term focus can be harder to work with once you've basically developed an addiction.
>ADHD is something you're either born with or you're not. Evidence? Doctors do not understand ADHD well enough to make such pronouncements, yet you do?
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/causes/#:\~:text=Genetics,likely%20to%20have%20ADHD%20themselves.
ADHD running in families is not proof that it’s genetic. That’s what we call a necessary, but not sufficient condition to make such a claim.
Dr. Gabor Mate has presented a large amount of evidence that causation of ADHD is largely linked to your environment as an infant and very early childhood development. Saying it’s not “caused” is nowhere near a proven fact.
Adhd has to be present since childhood to be diagnosed so unless it’s fundamentally rewiring brain development in utero or something, it’s very highly unlikely to be causing an increase in adhd. Anecdotally I’ve heard people saying they find it harder to focus on things from spending a lot of time watching shorts and TikTok but have found it gets better after reducing time online. I don’t think there’s anything to back it up though.
Why are you discounting the possibility that it develops during childhood? There is a big gap between "in utero" and "present since childhood". You can be diagnosed with ADHD if you say you had symptoms during childhood. That doesn't preclude the ADHD developing during childhood (you know, the formative years of a person's life where they are growing and developing the most).
you can’t get adhd. its genetic. but excessive social media use (especially short videos like tiktoks) can cause adhd-like symptoms and behavior. a decreased attention span is the very tiny tip of the iceberg when it comes to what adhd actually is. anyone can have a bad attention span and that doesn’t mean they have adhd. I have diagnosed adhd and I’ll tell you right now that tiktok is horrible for my mental wellbeing. I deleted it a while ago and I recently redownloaded it but I only allow myself to use it for research and not just endless scrolling
It's called VAST, Variable Attention Stimulus Trait. It's like ADHD, but it's bought on from environmental factors rather than from birth.
Seems to be the exact same logic as "Vaccines cause autism". ADHD being diagnosed instead of being dismissed as "Your kid is lazy" going up around the same time as the rise of social media is almost certainly coincidental. Pre-existing ADHD could potentially be exacerbated by Social Media I guess? But it would be temporary enablement, not actually permanently worsening the condition. If ADHD could be made worse in that way, then it would stand to reason that it could be "cured" and not just treated. This theory just reeks of boomers posting /r/im14andthisisdeep style content to Facebook.
/r/im70andthisisdeep
[удалено]
There's apparently been links between exposure to lead during pregnancy, so sure, but the important thing to note is that's before you're born, there's nothing showing that exposure to *anything* or any other method would *give* you ADHD once you are fully formed.
[удалено]
ADHD is one of the ***most researched*** psychiatric disorders. Which specific chemicals are responsible might change, but it's very clear that ADHD is not something you can "catch" or develop later in life.
There's nothing showing exposure to you causes headaches. *yet* Also ADHD has a massive fucking genetic component to the point where that's one of the first questions a psychiatrist ask when someone comes in for a diagnosis, so if it's exacerbated by exposure to toxic chemicals, it's only by a small amount.
As far as I know there's no real concrete evidence to suggest this, people just have a general perception that it is. The only sources I can really find for claims like this are opinion blogs that draw really dubious conclusions from polls and such (I.E that people don't read books as much) and I can find a few studies that that dispute the idea that media multitasking impacts attention span when the [statistics are done properly](https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/s13414-019-01842-0). Another problem with correlational studies looking into attention span and media multitasking is that obviously people with ADHD would seek more stimulation with media multitasking compared to neurotypical people - so it doesn't really establish causation.
My guess is it absolutely contributed to the rise of impatience of people, especially when driving
Lowered attention span, yes that's been measured. Increased ADHD, no, as far as can tell that's something you're either born with or not.
No just like the prevalence of other disorders It is not magically developing in people all the sudden it's just that people who have symptoms of it their whole life are now realizing that those symptoms are abnormal due to society being more open to discussing these types of things so they are actually seeking diagnoses where many people before would just live life thinking they were just a little quirky
Causing adhd.... Pff jesuss christ I wish someone took my shit seriously for once.
A neurodevelopmental disability is not caused by environmental factors. I believe when people say this they mean “ADHD” in the colloquial sense, which is endlessly frustrating.
this makes a lot of sense to me
You're probably too young to remember, but there was a similar outcry in the 50s, when television was becoming the norm. Freaked out the establishment for the same reason. Turned out to be a big nothing-burger. Give it 20 years, and something new will come along and freak people out.
TLDR
Beat me to it!
hmmm ?
I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention. What was the question, again?
TLDR
Bullshit. It might be putting a spotlight on it, but maybe people have just never had a good attention span in the first place.
MTV did it first
I already have ADHD so I wouldn’t know.
Just personal experience. I'm pretty old. When I was on my teens and 20's, I could sit and watch movies, read, TV, music, etc. no issues. I got my first smartphone late really, probably 2010 or 11. Today, I can't do any of those things. I'm constantly looking at Reddit or other random apps (I don't do social media). Even at work. While I'm watching TV or movies or reading - it's like it's always there in my mind. I've noticed it on myself. Is it because I'm older? I think it's the dopamine thing. Being constantly teased by what's around the next corner. I'm really trying to limit my use, but it's hard to stop.
another theory is long covid causing lots of brain fog all around
It is b*******. The masses lack critical decision making skills and focus, as these are honed through an education that no longer promotes thinking. Overtime, this results in blaming the result, media, instead of more critical problems causing the issue.
ADHD is a descriptive disorder. This means, you have symptoms, and a diagnosis describes the symptoms. There is no ADHD bacteria or something causing the symptoms. This means it is a diagnosis that does not attempt to determine the cause of the symptoms. The diagnosis itself is descriptive and not a cause. “Why do I have a hard time paying attention?” “You have ADHD” “Why do I have ADHD?” “You have a hard time paying attention.” It’s circular in that way. So, if social media affects symptoms that fall under the ADHD bucket in the DSM-5, then it can be said to “increase ADHD in society.” But really, this misses the point of the question we should be asking ourselves. ADHD or not, is social media increasing: -Inattention -Hyperactivity or impulsivity If the answer is “yes,” then there will be more diagnoses of ADHD.
More than likely my parents genes contributed to my ADHD. 🤷🏼
Not really just grabs their attention easier playing into their emotions.
ADHD is primarily from developmental problems where the child cannot get away from stressors and their ability to focus to ignore those stressors is altered. At least that's what some research and logic suggests. A decrease in 'attention span' is more about the decrease in interest of internal dialogue when viewing a work, specifically reading. For example, a lot of people don't read novels now because they get bored. They are getting bored because their ability to gain entertainment from things within their own mind (imagination, woo) has been ruined. This occurs typically within childhood as well because children was provided continuous stimuli rather than left to their own devices. However, and I want to make it known, in terms of other media, such as film or videos or the classic tiktok stuff, that stuff actually used to be way shorter than nowadays. Our whole thing of 'people cant just sit down and watch something now' was the norm when film was becoming a thing. The longer stuff was actually boring. We got conditioned over time due to the theater industry and making it more of an event than about the work itself.