It is widely recognized that the state of our world is becoming more digitized, more accelerated, and more connected. Everything is online, and everything is happening quickly. At the same time, the general population is losing our attention span. But is there something else at work here? 

According to one study, most people believe that their inability to focus is due to stress. The second most common answer was big life changes, then disturbed sleep, then came devices. Because of this, it is important to take a look at the relationship between stress and attention. Perhaps deeper destructive forces in life in turn cause many to have an unhealthy relationship with the Internet due to constant stress. (Hari, 2022).

Constant fear of something – it could be different for everyone, often triggered by trauma or life changes – can cause a developed state of hyper-vigilance. This is a state of anxiety and stress that blocks the mind and body from communicating what it needs. This includes necessities like food and sleep. Mindfulness becomes impossible because the focus is instead on “‘any signs or cues of threat or danger’” (Hari, 2022).

“To pay attention in normal ways, you need to feel safe.”

Hari, 2022

Hyper-vigilance causes people to spread their attention as an adaptive defense mechanism in order to ensure there are no signs of danger. Naturally, this inhibits the brain’s ability to perform deep focus and selective attention because it leaves you vulnerable to potential dangers that can be left undetected. 

Evidence has even shown that being financially stable can increase mental stability and function, which does not mean much good for the vast majority in our economy. 

The gap in this ideology is that as time goes on, we’re statistically becoming safer, and yet attention problems increase – implying that stress and fear are increasing. Personally, I think this could relate back to our digital age. Could the rise in stress and anxiety stem from the rise in information speed and accessibility? The connection between the digital world, attention, and stress is a complex one. 

I reflected on how this may show up in my own life. Often, I can’t focus on much of anything without watching or listening to something relaxing. This connection between stress and attention makes clear sense when observing this fact about my own life. Even as I’m writing this now, I’m listening to soothing music to make it easier, which is something I know many can relate to.

References

Hari, J. (2022). Stolen Focus. Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd.