Scroll. Click. Repeat. How big tech hijacked the veteran brain

Military veterans are reporting increased difficulty maintaining focus and attention in daily life, a shift that some researchers and behavioral health professionals link to the design of modern digital platforms.

Central to the concern is dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with motivation and reward. In military settings, dopamine is often linked to physical exertion, unit cohesion, and accomplishment — such as during training, mission success, or shared challenges. Outside of that structured environment, experts say, digital technologies have repurposed that same brain system to reinforce behaviors like scrolling, clicking, and engaging with algorithmic content.

Social media apps and other online platforms are designed to generate short, repeated dopamine responses through features like likes, comment notifications, and infinite scroll feeds. While the mechanisms are subtle, the cumulative effect can lead to extended screen time and reduced real-world engagement, according to multiple studies on attention and behavior.

Behavioral data shows that time spent on digital platforms continues to rise among adults, including veterans. The longer a user stays online, the more advertising revenue platforms can generate — a business model that relies heavily on sustained attention. Some information awareness organizations suggest that the attention economy may be disproportionately affecting groups like veterans, who are transitioning from highly structured environments to civilian life.

Recent outreach campaigns have encouraged veterans to review their own screen habits. One exercise gaining traction involves checking a smartphone’s weekly screen time report to assess time spent on apps. The goal, proponents say, is not to assign blame but to increase awareness of how much time is being allocated to digital consumption.

Health professionals note that identifying screen time trade-offs — such as time that could have been spent exercising, socializing, volunteering, or learning — may help individuals make more informed choices about their attention and routine.

Several veterans groups have begun integrating digital wellness discussions into peer support meetings, though no formal statewide initiative has been launched. Nationally, the Department of Veterans Affairs has not issued specific guidance on the topic, but individual clinicians are beginning to incorporate screen-time awareness into broader mental health and reintegration efforts.

As concerns grow around digital influence and attention management, researchers continue to study how emerging technologies may be reshaping behavior across different populations, including those with military experience.