The 15 Dysfunctions of The Web

The web didn’t just give us more information.

It rewired how we think, breathe, sleep, and relate to each other — not because we’re weak, but because it amplifies the very stress patterns humans already carry.

Individually, each of these effects is manageable. Together, they create chronic digital dysregulation — the nervous system caught in “on” mode with no natural off-ramp.

Here are the 14 most common dysfunctions:

  1. Information Overload
    Too much data, not enough clarity. Your brain never gets to finish processing.

  2. Constant Comparison
    Other people’s highlight reels create a baseline of inadequacy.

  3. Notification Hijack
    Every ping pulls you out of presence.

  4. Infinite Scroll
    No natural stopping point means no natural rest.

  5. Phantom Buzz
    Your brain invents alerts even when your phone is silent.

  6. Polarisation
    Algorithms reward outrage, not understanding.

  7. Decision Fatigue
    Thousands of micro-choices drain willpower before the day begins.

  8. Sleep Erosion
    Blue light, late-night scrolling, and constant stimulation wreck recovery.

  9. Posture Collapse
    Screen hunch compresses breath and signals threat to your nervous system.

  10. Mindless Consumption
    Food, shopping, and content blur into the same compulsion loop.

  11. FOMO & Social Substitution
    Pseudo-connection online replaces real connection offline.

  12. Loss of Boredom Tolerance
    Silence feels unbearable, so you never get true rest.

  13. Fragmented Attention
    Every task competes with ten others. Focus shatters.

  14. The Maladaptive Hum
    A background buzz of unease — not enough to crash you, never enough to let you rest.

  15. Infinite Concern
    Your awareness expanded faster than your capacity. You care about too much, too far away. The web made the world infinite — and your nervous system can’t keep up.

The Thread That Runs Through All of It

Every one of these dysfunctions shares a root: your biology has adapted to constant digital stimulation.
That’s why the problem feels bigger than willpower or rules about your phone — and why recovery has to start at the biological level, not just with more tips or restrictions.