The Screen Trap

After a long working day, after coming back home, we usually lie down on our bed to unwind. Then, with phones in hand, we start scrolling reels, memes, messages, or the news.

- ROUSHAN CHATTERJEE

It feels like relaxing, but are we really relaxing? According to Dr Subrata Naskar, a neuropsychiatrist at Wellness Care Diagnostic, this common post-work activity is doing more harm than good. As we observed World Brain Day on July 22, The Statesman spoke to the neuropsychiatrist to understand the growing screen addiction and its impact on brain health.

When we continue engaging with screens even after work, we keep our brain active when it actually needs to shut down and recover. "It's a maladaptive behavior. It might feel good in the moment, but it causes long-term harm," Naskar said.

Underlying mental fatigue is like physical fatigue that comes from running around in the day. However, its consequences are not as severe. Dr Naskar explains that when our brain is constantly engaged by calls, meetings, notifications, and scrolling, it reaches a point of exhaustion. "Our brain is also an organ. It has got a capacity, just like our muscles. If we overuse it, it impacts our cognitive processes and leads to poor concentration. So, when a person is working from home, it doesn't mean he is at rest. He might still experience mental fatigue at the end of the day. And both types of fatigue can ultimately lead to poor performance and health," he emphasized.

Dr. Naskar further highlights that excessive screen time affects neural pathways and alters brain functions like attention and memory. "Mental fatigue impacts cognitive flexibility and plasticity: the brain's ability to adapt."

What makes the issue more complex is that daily, prolonged use of screens can lead to addiction. "Just as someone addicted to alcohol may detach himself from his family, feel irresponsible, and get depressed when not getting alcohol, those addicted to screens may exhibit a similar kind of behavior. It becomes a habit, reinforced by the brain's own rewiring, a process we call neuroplasticity," he claimed.