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Study finds memory decline surge in young people

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Re: Study finds memory decline surge in young people

#111
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Shitty food has been around for a long time. Some virus known for causing long-term effects in non-negligible parts of the population has been around since 2019. > The increase in disability prevalence from 2016 to 2022 is likely attributable in part to the long-term effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Wild to me that the first mention of COVID is this far down the page. Most people have been infected at least a couple of times may this point, and at this point it’s very well documented to cause lasting cognitive decline.

The actual article (not the blog post) does mention it as likely partial cause.

Re: Study finds memory decline surge in young people

#112
post #64

Since giving up my cell phone entirely over 5 years ago, my productivity, memory, and overall happiness are at the highest levels they have ever been, in my late 30s. I no longer apologize to anyone for this lifestyle choice anymore since the benefits are something everyone deserves, but almost all opt out of today for made up reasons. I take photos with a pocket mirrorless, and take notes with a notebook. I tell tim…

This is inspiring. I definitely need to look into getting a landline and reducing my cellphone dependence. We’ve been talking about it lately for our daughter to be able to talk to her friends outside of school. Recently another parent had suggested face time calls which we are strongly against (not so much against video calls but rather against child tablet usage).

Pro Tip: Other parents sometimes need to be told NO, especially when it comes to matters of tech. I believe their heart is in the right place but most of them don't know the first thing about the dangers of social media, gps tracking, cellphone addiction, frequent video calls, etc. If enough pressure is applied, then it will be the norm for your local community of kids to spend time in real life together vs. 100% online in a digital scaremongered world. Can there be a balance? Sure. But that balance usually comes only after saying NO to unnecessary tech. NO, kids in elementary school don't need a phone (they really don't). NO, we don't need to digitally track our child's movements down to the meter (we really don't).

But don't take my word for it. In 2025, we now havea sea of well documented research that proves the extremely high cost we all pay (as a society) for damaging our kids this way.

Re: Study finds memory decline surge in young people

#113
post #64

Since giving up my cell phone entirely over 5 years ago, my productivity, memory, and overall happiness are at the highest levels they have ever been, in my late 30s. I no longer apologize to anyone for this lifestyle choice anymore since the benefits are something everyone deserves, but almost all opt out of today for made up reasons. I take photos with a pocket mirrorless, and take notes with a notebook. I tell tim…

> Whenever I see parents scrolling, and handing a kid a phone as well to pacify them, I wish I could report them for child abuse. Consider that you might not have everything figured out for everyone. I'm glad you found something that works, but the will to impose your way on others isn't benevolent.

Your reply was next to meaningless as it doesn't offer anything above a "well, that's just how YOU feel about it!".

Yes, that's true. That /is/ how the OP feels about it. But at least they were able to articulate their point and get a message across, along with an implied (albeit weak) "call to action", not meant to be taken literally. Although I'm sure, if polled, the majority of folks in this thread would agree with the OP sentiment. I know I do.

Re: Study finds memory decline surge in young people

#114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apparently very popular content - a parent at my kid’s kindergarten wanted to make cake for their kids birthday, said they’d only use 1 tsp of honey in the whole thing. Cue universal freak out in the parents’ WhatsApp group. Apparently, sugar: - causes cancer - causes autism - causes hyperactivity - causes blindness - makes children indolent and lazy - will permanently ruin a child if they even look at it It’s weird,…

"I would argue that that - physical activity - is far more important than what you shove in your face." No, it bloody is not. I used to drive a bicycle for 6 - 12 hours ever day while working in the delivery. I also didn't watch what I was eating. I ended up getting fat and with haemorrhoids. So I had to quit cycling. Then I spend some time (years actually) researching and slowly improving my diet. Result? I lost wei…

Moderate exercising is conaistently shown to improve peoples health results. Study after study, it has positive impact.

It may or may not affect peoples weight (which is aesthetic issue on itself), but in terms of health improvements it is one intervention that consistently works.

They are not saying kids should be 8 hours on bikes whether they feel like or not. They are saying they should run around with other kids which something entirely different.

Re: Study finds memory decline surge in young people

#115

My big issue with this study is it points to a cause. How can they know the issue is social media, and not, say, the climbing atmospheric CO2 or other long-COVID related issues?

Study does not point at causes. The blog post does. A blog post inspired by a study and study itself are two different things.

Re: Study finds memory decline surge in young people

#116
post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, but unfortunately my kids’ daycare, school, other parents, my job don’t want to.

If you wanted to be vegan as a personal choice and everyone in your life wanted you to eat meat anyway, who cares? No one gets to decide your lifestyle but you. Make them adapt. You can get landlines (via a VOIP conversion box or otherwise), and beyond that what do you really need if you are honest?

This is just circular arguing.

> it’s not manageable to be offline all the time here

> it is if you’re all offline together

> but everyone doesn’t want to be offline with me

> just be offline by yourself; what’s the big deal? The big deal is all the stuff called out above. My kids school, child care, my work, pizza delivery, everyone has built up infrastructure that assumes virtually always online.

If it works for you to just not be online anymore, cool. But it’s not trivial for many people to make this change.

Re: Study finds memory decline surge in young people

#117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We managed these problems before everyone had a mobile phone.

"What if you get an infection?" SoftTalker: "We managed healthcare before antibiotics, antiseptics, germ theory, sterilisation. Hah, gotcha."

That's why I make sure my kid is chained to my side 24/7, you never know what could happen. This contact-ability panic is fucking ridiculous.

Re: Study finds memory decline surge in young people

#118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Whenever I see parents scrolling, and handing a kid a phone as well to pacify them, I wish I could report them for child abuse. Consider that you might not have everything figured out for everyone. I'm glad you found something that works, but the will to impose your way on others isn't benevolent.

Your reply was next to meaningless as it doesn't offer anything above a "well, that's just how YOU feel about it!". Yes, that's true. That /is/ how the OP feels about it. But at least they were able to articulate their point and get a message across, along with an implied (albeit weak) "call to action", not meant to be taken literally. Although I'm sure, if polled, the majority of folks in this thread would agree wit…

“I wish I could have CPS take away their children and put them in foster homes” is a pretty messed up thought to have in response to seeing a kid looking at a phone. It seems pretty reasonable to call that out.

> Your reply was next to meaningless

We’re on a discussion forum. “Here’s how I feel about what said” is basically the point.

Re: Study finds memory decline surge in young people

#119
post #98
post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

With rising ADHD awareness and corresponding academic waivers and medications used to enhance academic performance, I'm surprised the results are not much higher among students. I'm disappointed the paper failed to address the limitations of the study. Note that the effect was stronger with wealth, as expected for performance- and excuse-seeking behaviors in high-achieving households.

I'm starting to think ADHD is isn't a disorder at all. It's like obesity, if something afflicts 2% of the population, it's an individual disorder or issue. If it afflicts 20%+ of the population, it's either a systems/societal issue, or even more likely, a common personality trait that just happens to be very undesirable at this particular moment in time.

ADHD is in part an adaptation to being bombarded with information in the Internet era.

I'm sure it's a legitimate disorder in the most severe cases as well, but like most psych quackery, there are way too many doctors and patients (80%+) too eager to self-diagnose and put people on a prescription and call it a day.

Doctors get money from pharma and people get to use their "disorder" as a convenient excuse for everything. That's what we call incentive alignment in economics.

Re: Study finds memory decline surge in young people

#120
post #5

Its the low quality food, my memory improved a lot, after I stopped eating sugar and most refined foods. Theres even some research that Alzheimer starts from bad bacteria in the gut, that loves sugar.

Bacteria (and your body) like sugar because it’s an easy to use fuel source. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with having reasonable amounts of sugar in your diet.

Define reasonable.
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