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Nowadays, our lives are becoming increasingly intertwined with technology. The question is whether this really benefits us? What are the consequences of constantly being “online”?
Smartphones as an inseparable part of everyday life
Not long ago, mobile phones were used solely for making calls and communicating via text messages. Today, we have modern smartphones that allow us to do more than ever before – we take photos with them, record videos, play games, browse the Internet and social media, use GPS navigation and much more.
Taking this into account, one could conclude that smartphones have changed our lives for the better and that it would be difficult to function without them nowadays. The same applies to computers, laptops or tablets. However, does excessive use of mobile devices not carry risks? What could the consequences be, and how can we regain balance in the digital world?
What is overstimulation?
Overstimulation, or sensory overload, is a state in which too many different stimuli reach the brain at the same time. This refers, among other things, to auditory stimuli (loud music, excessive noise), visual stimuli (bright and flashing lights), tactile stimuli (wearing uncomfortable shoes), taste and olfactory stimuli (overly intense flavours and aromas), which the brain is unable to process.
According to scientists, overstimulation is caused by disruptions in the functioning of the so-called sensory gate, a mechanism that filters information reaching the nervous system. When it starts to malfunction, the brain reacts differently – it processes the excess stimuli coming from the outside even though it would ignore them under normal conditions.
Researchers emphasise that sensory overload is a problem that affects people living in urban areas much more frequently. Inhabitants of small towns and villages are less exposed to it. Experts point out that large cities have higher levels of traffic, noise, lights, and so on. According to studies conducted since the early 1970s, it is precisely these factors that increase the risk of overstimulation.
What are the symptoms of digital overstimulation?
Sensory overload may be associated with a range of physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioural symptoms. Among the most typical signs indicating excessive strain on the nervous system, the following signals are listed: decreased energy, fatigue and weakness, a feeling of being overwhelmed, irritability, nervousness, higher stress levels, a sense of helplessness, anxiety, mood swings, problems with memory and concentration, lack of motivation, racing thoughts, difficulties with sleep, headaches, muscle tension, especially in the shoulders and neck, hypersensitivity to light, sound, smell and touch, and a need for frequent isolation.
Each body may react individually to stimuli and send various signals indicating danger, in this case, sensory overload. However, if we notice even a few of the above symptoms in ourselves, it is worth taking a closer look at our lifestyle and considering consulting a specialist.
What is dopamine?
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, meaning a substance that transmits information between nerve cells (neurons). It was first identified as a neurotransmitter in the human brain in 1957. Neurons communicate with each other through synapses, electrical signals, and neurotransmitters, while neurotransmitters have the ability to regulate electrical signals in the brain.
Dopamine was identified at the same time by two scientific teams working independently of each other – one from Sweden, led by Arvid Carlsson, and one from the United Kingdom, led by Kathleen Montagu. What is the connection between this neurotransmitter and the delivery of various stimuli to our body?
Dopamine, or time for a reward
Dopamine is a key element in striving, motivation, and the desire for reward, but not only that. The release of this substance occurs primarily at moments of excitement, the satisfaction of a desire, and thus the attainment of the expected pleasure. This is why our body wants to repeat the action that guarantees a dopamine release again and again.
However, dopamine is not only a stimulator of action and striving to achieve further goals. It shapes many other functions in the brain, such as perception, concentration, learning, and maintaining balance. In the book “Tak działa mózg. Jak mądrze zadbać o jego funkcjonowanie” [“This is How the Brain Works. How to Take Care of Its Functioning Wisely”] by Dr Joanna Podgórska, it can be read that dopamine strongly influences our cognitive abilities and motivation to gain knowledge, as well as our fascination with what we do. It is worth mentioning that dopamine also plays a very important role in regulating emotions (its excess may generate aggression, especially when combined with an increased level of testosterone and a decreased level of another neurotransmitter – serotonin, known as the “happiness hormone”). Furthermore, dopamine participates in controlling the feeling of satiety and the sensation of hunger, it affects locomotor activity and the functioning of the hormonal system. It is also of great importance in the formation of passion between people, the feeling of belonging, and love.
Understanding what dopamine is and how many areas of our lives it affects allows us to better grasp its connection with the various stimuli we provide to our bodies. This is also important in the context of explaining why it is so difficult to tear ourselves away from our phones. Every time we do something that gives us pleasure or satisfies our curiosity, the brain receives the message: “Well done, you did something worth repeating!” – and in this way, it rewards itself with dopamine. And this can be addictive.
Dopamine release and addiction
What is addiction? It is a chronic disease of the central nervous system – the reward system – as well as a disorder of memory and motivation. Addiction takes the form of both remission and relapse. It is worth knowing that complete recovery from addiction is not possible. It can be subdued by limiting contact with the stimuli that trigger it or replaced with another habit that will also result in the release of dopamine and provide exciting emotions.
If a stimulus, substance or activity causes frequent dopamine release, the body begins to get used to it. Consequently, the brain perceives this as the norm, and any drop in dopamine is interpreted as a disturbance in balance. What does this mean exactly? The need increases – the body demands to receive its “drug” more and more often because it activates the dopamine receptors. This mechanism also operates in the case of excessive use of social media.
What is doomscrolling?
Doomscrolling is a relatively new behavioural phenomenon, consisting of compulsively scrolling through social media and news portals in search of negative news. This term became particularly popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people were searching en masse for any news about the current epidemiological situation. These victims spend many hours a day browsing through successive websites, often almost losing touch with reality and their sense of time, as well as neglecting important matters.
According to scientists, this phenomenon is characterised by a particular psychological mechanism – the more bad news a person receives, the greater their need to continue searching for negative information. Specialists speak of a process resembling a vicious circle, in which increasing anxiety heightens the need to acquire information, while receiving new information only intensifies the anxiety. We feel worse and worse, yet we are unable to stop and break this cycle. Why does this happen? It is related to dopamine addiction. Although reading content with a negative tone does not give us pleasure, there is a mechanism of expectation for something new and important at play. As a result, every headline, shocking title, or dramatic piece of news activates the reward system in our brain, releasing dopamine. The goal is not to experience joy, but to continually seek new stimuli. In this way, browsing social media and searching through news portals becomes a never-ending source of stimulation from which it is increasingly difficult to break free. Although such behaviour does not bring true joy, but rather causes anxiety, frustration, and fatigue, we become slaves to this process, as we have fallen into a dopamine trap.
What is FOMO?
Another phenomenon linked to the mechanism of dopamine addiction is FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), which can be understood as the fear of missing important events, information, and experiences. This fear of “falling out of the loop” is the worry that we will miss something important while we are offline. In the research report “FOMO 2019. Poles and the fear of disconnection”, demographic data from 2019 indicates that those who are highly “FOMO-affected” – suffering from the FOMO syndrome – make up 14% of respondents (including both passive and active social media users). Another 67% form the moderately “FOMO-affected” group, while 19% belong to the group with the lowest level of experiencing this phenomenon.
According to the authors of the study, FOMO may also have certain positive aspects, such as acquiring the ability to skilfully manage one’s online image. Unfortunately, according to experts, the positives are significantly outweighed by the negatives, and this phenomenon poses a serious threat to society.
What risks are associated with FOMO? Researchers list, among others, addiction, anxiety disorders, depression, low self-esteem, compulsive and self-destructive behaviours, excessive desire for approval, withdrawal from family life into the virtual world, and the phenomenon of phubbing – a state in which a person focuses on their mobile phone at the expense of interpersonal communication.
Why is it worth practising JOMO?
The NASK study “Teenagers 3.0”, conducted in 2020, clearly shows how strongly the internet engages young people. Teenagers spend an average of 4 hours and 50 minutes a day online in their free time. During days off school, this time is much longer – around 6 hours and 10 minutes. One in ten teenagers spends more than 8 hours of their free time using the internet, whilst one in five spends the same amount of time in front of a screen during days off school. One in six teenagers surfs the internet during the night (after 10 p.m.).
These figures show how important internet access is for young people. Whilst FOMO can cause frustration, JOMO – the Joy of Missing Out – comes to the rescue. This approach aims to rebuild balance and serves as an antidote to constant contact with the internet and social media. JOMO promotes the stance of enjoying missing out, that is, giving up the need to always be up to date. It involves consciously limiting the excessive number of stimuli we receive, focusing on calmness and our own mental comfort. It is about consciously choosing deep and quality experiences instead of superficial ones, and celebrating the “here and now” instead of constantly comparing ourselves to others.
The American Heart Association emphasises that JOMO brings numerous health benefits, such as better sleep quality, greater inner calm, reduced anxiety, increased creativity, and the development of deeper relationships with others.
What is digital hygiene?
After learning about the consequences of excessive screen use, it is worth considering why taking care of digital hygiene is so important. According to the definition on the Gov.pl website, digital hygiene is “a set of activities and attitudes aimed at ensuring the safe use of electronic devices and modern technologies, in such a way that they do not pose a threat to our life and health. Digital hygiene also includes issues related to our body, specifically the postures we adopt when using electronic devices and connecting to the internet.” If we do not wish to become victims of FOMO, expose ourselves to phubbing and other unfavourable phenomena, we should begin practising JOMO as soon as possible and strive to find moderation and balance in our daily use of the internet and smartphones.
JOMO as a digital detox. How to take care of life balance?
For many people, a regular detox from the smartphone may seem like a small challenge. Unfortunately, this is often only an illusion, as most of us are not aware of how much time we spend in front of the screens of electronic devices. The analysis of the data presented above should prompt us to reflect on how much of our lives we “live” on the internet. So how can we take care of a healthy balance and moderation? Firstly, it is worth practising JOMO, which can be a rescue for many of us. It is an excellent strategy to assist with a digital detox.
Thanks to JOMO, we learn to set priorities, to choose what is most important to us, and as a result, we find it easier to maintain mental balance. The first step is to limit the time spent on social media. The American Heart Association also advises using the “Do Not Disturb” status in messaging apps more frequently, especially when we need to focus on important tasks or simply wish to rest. Habitually checking emails outside of working hours is also a bad habit. Turning off notifications from unnecessary apps will help us focus on the “here and now”, as each notification acts like a dopamine impulse.
Doctors also advise checking messages and news once or twice a day and setting so-called offline windows, for example, hours in the morning and evening during which we disconnect from the internet. It is also recommended to remove unnecessary apps from the phone. It is worth replacing mindless scrolling with offline activities, such as reading a book.
Another recommendation is to install apps that monitor phone usage time – this is an excellent way to realise how much attention our smartphone consumes.
A good solution is also to take a short digital detox – for example, a one-day or weekend detox during which we do not use electronic devices.
And what about the physical posture we adopt when reaching for electronic devices? Holding the phone at eye level, avoiding leaning forward and slouching, maintaining an upright posture with relaxed shoulders – these are elements that protect our body. Supporting the arms or elbows whilst using electronic devices will also help minimise strain on the wrists. And one final piece of advice – avoid using your smartphone whilst lying in bed for long periods, especially late at night.
In summary: swap FOMO for JOMO. Change your mindset from “What will I miss” to “What will I gain when I disconnect.” This is what digital hygiene truly is.
References:
1. Lembke A., Niewolnicy dopaminy. Jak odnaleźć równowagę w epoce obfitości, Wydawnictwo Zysk i S-ka, 2021.
2. Podgórska J., Tak działa mózg. Jak mądrze zadbać o jego funkcjonowanie, Grupa Wydawnicza Foksal, 2023.
3. Jupowicz-Ginalska A., Kisilowska M., Jasiewicz J., Baran T., Wysocki A., FOMO 2019. Polacy a lęk przed odłączeniem, Wydział Dziennikarstwa, Informacji i Bibliologii Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego, 2019 (online, dostęp: 29.06.2025).
4. Eagleman D., Dynamiczny mózg. Historia nieustannych przeobrażeń, Wydawnictwo Zysk i S-ka, 2020.
5. Lange R. (red.), Nastolatki 3.0., Raport z ogólnopolskiego badania uczniów, NASK – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy, 2021.
6. JOMO: The Joy of Missing Out Infographic, American Heart Association, heart.org, (online, dostęp: 29.06.2025).
7. Serwis Gov.pl
