“We’re all hooked on TikTok—but can we really be blamed? Take a moment today to check your screen time. How many hours did you spend scrolling this week? Now, try to recall the last three videos you watched. Chances are, you can’t. That’s hours of your life gone, with nothing to show for it”.

Ralf J (L6) warned of the addictive nature of TikTok in Chapel this week:

“I remember checking my screen time in Year 10 and realising I’d wasted 24 hours in a week—a full day—mindlessly scrolling, learning nothing. But it’s not just about wasted time. TikTok destroys your attention span, making it impossible to focus on anything productive without craving that quick dopamine hit.

And let’s be honest—you never stood a chance. TikTok is a billion-dollar machine designed to keep you addicted. While China’s version promotes education and longer-form content, ours is engineered to overstimulate and fry your brain.

If you’re making excuses like “But my followers need me!” or “I just use it to wind down,” ask yourself: Is scrolling through endless, hyper-stimulating clips really helping you relax? Try reading a book for just five minutes. You’ll likely find your mind wandering, proof that your attention span is broken.

I’m not expecting you to delete TikTok today—addiction doesn’t disappear overnight. But I do want you to catch yourself next time you doom-scroll. Recognise the excuses your brain makes to keep you hooked. The first step to breaking free? Admitting you have a problem.

Stay aware. Stop coping. Take back your focus.”

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