NT Reporter
Panaji
Digital overload is not just taking away our time, it is redesigning and rewiring our minds, said Dr Amit Dias, a lecturer in the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine at Goa Medical College, Bambolim.
He was speaking at a lecture on ‘Digital Overload – building emotional strength in a hyperconnected world’ held at GMC on Tuesday.
Dias said the problem runs deeper than many realise. “Digital overload is not simply a technological problem; it is a deeply human one. It happens when the brain receives nonstop stimulation — notifications, emails, social media updates, news alerts, videos and online meetings — far more than it can process in a meaningful way. Unlike physical tiredness, this kind of overload is silent. It feels like being productive or connected, but slowly
it drains mental energy,”
he said.
He explained that the human brain was designed to process information in intervals, not in a continuous stream. “Today, people consume more information in a single day than earlier generations did in weeks. Each time a person switches screens or multitasks, the brain uses extra energy. This affects thinking, emotions and even the body,” he said.
Pointing out that digital platforms are built to hold attention, he said, “Endless scrolling, autoplay videos and push notifications activate the brain’s reward system, similar to addictions like tobacco and alcohol. At the same time, work from home and online education have removed the line between work and rest.
The brain rarely gets true downtime.”
He said the effects are increasingly visible. People experience shorter attention spans, anxiety, sleep problems and emotional instability. Memory and creativity decline. Eye strain, headaches, obesity and back pain are also linked to prolonged screen use.
Children are even more vulnerable, he said. Excessive screen exposure has been connected to delayed language development, attention problems and behavioural issues. “Digital access and literacy are important, but unchecked exposure is not empowerment. What is common is not always normal,” he said.
Dias said he does not blame technology but calls for balance through what he terms ‘Brain Detox’ — building digital minimalism, recognising signs of addiction, increasing offline connections, setting tech-free zones, protecting sleep and modelling healthy behaviour for children.
“The true risk is not that machines will become human, but that humans will begin to function like machines,” he said. “Pause, disconnect and be present. By switching to airplane mode once in a while, we may finally reconnect with our own minds.” He added that digital wellbeing does not mean abandoning technology. “It means regaining control. When we disconnect with intention, we don’t lose the world; we reclaim our minds,” he said.
