Short videos turned out to be more dangerous than we thought

Scientists raise alarm: addiction to TikTok, Reels, and Shorts may be destroying your brain and mental health. A large-scale meta-analysis in the prestigious journal Psychological Bulletin, summarizing the results of 71 scientific studies involving nearly 100,000 people, revealed a troubling correlation between watching short videos and declining cognitive abilities.

As reported by TUT.AZ with reference to Psychological Bulletin, the study found a significant negative relationship between short video consumption and attention function. Particularly affected are concentration and inhibitory control — the key ability to focus on a task and suppress distracting impulses. Short video enthusiasts are much more likely to experience problems with concentration and self-discipline.

The study also found that active consumption of short video content is associated with deteriorating psychological state: increased anxiety, stress, sleep disturbances, and an overall decline in well-being. Negative effects are observed in both adolescents and adult users of such platforms.

Notably, the decisive factor was not watching videos itself, but the compulsive nature of this habit. The most pronounced negative consequences were recorded in studies examining the dependence on short videos, rather than just the time spent in the apps.

Scientists emphasize that the identified correlations do not prove a direct causal relationship, however, they clearly signal serious potential risks to cognitive and mental health with uncontrolled consumption of short video clips.