Something had changed. Almost without noticing, Dhisha Kukalakuntla had stopped reading, listening to music, and hanging out with friends. Instead, the 18-year-old from Dallas, Texas, spent every free moment on her phone scanning social media feeds. Seeing a relatable TikTok video about growing up Indian American gave her a rush of happiness. And every time she “liked” a clip, her “For You” feed would fill with more videos just like it.
“It felt like a never-ending pot of gold,” says Kukalakuntla. A few minutes would quickly turn into hours, “until eventually my brain was too exhausted to accomplish anything I’d set out to do for the day,” she admits. Then regret would kick in, sending her back online to escape the feeling.
Sound familiar? According to experts, many tweens and teens are caught in a similar loop.