TikTok (and social media in general) has become a global phenomenon, winning over millions of users with an endless stream of short videos. A highly sophisticated algorithm, capable of offering personalized content based on the interests and viewing habits of each individual user.
But, it is now known, this continuous stream of engaging videos activates the brain’s reward system, releasing dopamine and creating a powerful cycle of addiction. Is everything normal? Not at all.
The unique combination of short, engaging content and a perfectly calibrated recommendation system makes TikTok particularly adept at capturing and holding users’ attention for extended periods. Users often find themselves scrolling through video after video, losing track of time as they immerse themselves in the continuous flow of the platform. This phenomenon, known as the “flow experience,” involves heightened states of pleasure, concentration, and time distortion.
The TikTok algorithm and addiction
The heart of TikTok’s nature is its own algorithm. By analyzing user behavior, such as viewing time, likes, comments and shares, TikTok curates a personalized “For You” page. This content delivery system quickly learns users’ preferences, creating a tailored feed that keeps them scrolling.
The algorithm prioritizes content based on:
This highly personalized approach increases user engagement and time spent on the appcontributing to his “loyalty”.
Dopamine and the neuroscience of social media
Social media platforms like TikTok take advantage of the brain’s reward system, triggering the release of dopamine to create engaging experiences. Dopamine is a crucial neurotransmitter in the brain’s reward system, which motivates behaviors by signaling the anticipation and experience of pleasure. The reward system, which has practically evolved to encourage survival-related activities such as eating and socializing, can easily be hijacked by artificial stimuli, such as those coming from social media.
Each interaction (like, comment, notification) provides a small dopamine boost, which keeps users coming back to the platform. Over time, repeated use of social media can lead to changes in the structure and function of the brain, a phenomenon known as neuroplasticity.
The psychological impact of TikTok
Excessive use of TikTok can negatively impact your mental health and productivity. The short format of videos and the algorithmic distribution of content reduce users’ attention span, encouraging rapid consumption and distraction. In particular, young people, who are more susceptible to external stimuli, may see their ability to concentrate on longer activities, such as studying or reading, compromised.
Some studies suggest that frequent use of TikTok could affect cognitive processes, with more evident consequences in children and adolescents, where rapid consumption of content can hinder the development of sustained attention skills.
Social media addiction and mental health
TikTok’s addictive potential comes from the unpredictable nature of the rewards it offers. Users never know when they will encounter a particularly interesting video, which makes them want to keep scrolling. This mechanism, similar to that of gambling addiction, triggers a continuous release of dopamine.
Problematic TikTok use has been linked to symptoms of social media addiction, including:
And there are now many studies that indicate how problematic use of TikTok is related to higher rates of anxiety and depression, especially among young people. Constantly seeking approval through likes and comments can exacerbate these problems.
Short video platforms like TikTok are reshaping the landscape of social relationships and content consumption, with profound and sometimes worrying effects on our cognitive and social abilities, including and above all on our children. While these apps can fuel creativity and self-expression, they also risk weakening critical thinking. The incessant flow of rapid and superficial content, in fact, tends to reduce the time dedicated to deep reflection, favoring a more frivolous vision of ideas and limiting complex understanding.
Digital interactions, characterized by viral content and memes, can create a semblance of global community, but end up emptying face-to-face communications of value and meaning. People find themselves struggling with longer, more detailed real conversations because they are now used to quick, frenetic exchanges that don’t require deep commitment.
How do you re-establish a healthy relationship with these platforms? Imposing time limits on app use is a basic strategy, but equally useful is the “conscious scrolling“. Creating technology-free spaces, such as “phone-free” zones in the home, can be a valid tool to avoid the risk of addiction. Balancing social media consumption with offline activities – hobbies, sports, nature walks (we encourage our sons and daughters to do this!) – is essential to counteract the addiction to digital validation. Furthermore, building a feed that nourishes your mental well-being, avoiding content that promotes self-comparison and inadequacy, could be a good solution to preserve digital and mental health at a minimum.
