In our discussion about media, the idea of a media induced ADD phenomenon came up. It’s necessary for people to consume many different kinds of media at once because of the shallowness of a lot of it. Facebook is takes no mental strain, so many people find themselves spaced out while clicking through pages absentmindedly. Other forms of media instill habits in consumers that make it easy to stop actively thinking as well. This form of mindless entertainment allows easy multitasking and makes it easy to get lost in distractions.
Media puts a barrier in human connection, and I’ve found that Adderall, a popular ADD medication, has a similar effect. I guess you could say that about all medication effects brain function that could stunt human connection, but having been recently prescribed Adderall I’m particularly aware of its social effects.
The effects of Adderall are immediate and notable (http://www.theplainsman.com/front/2007/feb-14/adderall_deadly_dependency). The side effects contribute to the socially isolating power of the drug. They include depression, irritability, and anxiety. For me, the regular effect is that I have to finish one task before I move on to the next, and if I don’t I can’t focus on anything else. Obsessively moving from task to task doesn’t leave me with the need for human interaction. Media has a similar effect on me. The satisfaction that comes from working my way through video games encourages me to spend time alone staring at a TV screen.
Now that I’ve typed it up, the connection between Adderall and media isn’t as strong as I initially imagined. I think their relationship seemed so defined in my head because both affect my thinking and work process tremendously.
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Really interesting post. I wonder if, when it comes to your perceived connection between media and Adderall, the question is not whether the connection is strong or weak but rather whether it's direct or indirect. Maybe one doesn't impact the other. Maybe their just mucking around in the same quadrant of the brain? Yes, I know I'm getting dangerously pseudo-scientific here, so I better quit. I do think it's interesting to consider the ways in which we focus (or don't focus) and wonder what role (if any) media culture plays in that.
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