The 5 Symptoms
of Digital Dysregulation
You don’t just “use the web too much.” You feel it in your body and mind.
When your nervous system is shaped by constant stimulation, it shows up in 5 clear ways.
These aren’t character flaws. They’re biological adaptations to an abnormal environment
— your body doing its best to keep up with a world that never stops.
The 5 Core Symptoms
1. Racing Mind
Your thoughts keep looping even after you’ve put the phone down. It feels like your brain is stuck in fast-forward, unable to switch off.
2. Brain Fog
Simple tasks feel harder. Concentration slips. You know what you need to do but can’t seem to think clearly enough to do it.
3. Wired but Tired
Your body is buzzing while your energy is drained. You feel restless and exhausted at the same time.
4. Can’t Focus Anymore
Deep work feels impossible. You flit between tabs, apps, and tasks, but nothing sticks long enough to finish.
5. Everything Feels Overwhelming
The small things feel like big things. You avoid decisions, push back tasks, and shrink from challenges that once felt manageable.
What These Symptoms Mean
On their own, any one of these could be blamed on stress, lack of sleep, or just “modern life.”
But together, they point to something deeper: digital dysregulation.
Your breathing, posture, sleep, and attention have all been shaped by the way you engage with the web.
The symptoms aren’t random. They’re the nervous system’s way of saying: you’ve adapted to constant stimulation, and now you struggle without it.
Where to Go Next
Explore each symptom in detail — so you can see your own experience reflected and explained:
Racing Mind After Scrolling
Brain Fog From Screens
Wired But Tired
Can’t Focus Anymore
Everything Feels Overwhelming