One of the most damaging habits that most social media users struggle with is mindless scrolling. While many people acknowledge that they often scroll mindlessly, it is not entirely their fault. Most, if not all, social media platforms are designed to increase user engagement - the endless scroll is a part of that addictive design. On the surface, this addictive behaviour leads to a lot of time being wasted, but on a deeper level it has implications that are a lot more harmful than just a few hours lost on the internet.

Mindless scrolling can have several negative impacts on users ranging from increased anxiety to memory problems. Confinity’s mindful design stands in stark contrast with this negative aspect of traditional social media platforms. It is a transformative platform where every minute spent has meaning.

The Problem of Traditional Social Media and Mindless Scrolling

People use social media for various reasons such as staying up to date with news and events as well as with the lives of their family and friends. People also admit to using social media to avoid their problems and escape reality. This highlights a problematic behaviour which contributes to an increased time spent scrolling absentmindedly on social media.

According to a research conducted by Anthony Eid, an increase in problematic, absentminded use of social media leads to higher levels of anxiety. This shows how the amount of time spent scrolling absentmindedly - which people often perceive as a form of escapism - can negatively impact the mental wellbeing of an individual. In turn, this reveals how the interactive interface of traditional social media platforms, designed to increase the number of user-post interactions per minute, is directly complicit in the same.

Strong emotions, like stress and anxiety, can affect memory storage and recall. Being under stressful conditions for longer periods makes it harder to make memories due to the constant onslaught of cortisol which exhausts our memory-making neurons. Therefore, along with decreasing productivity and increasing anxiety levels, mindless scrolling on social media also contributes to a deteriorating memory.

Moreover, while social media use is often prompted by a fear of missing out and a need to keep up with current trends and news, it negatively affects the quality of real relationships by disrupting face-to-face interactions. Furthermore, evidence suggests that it takes a person at least 23 minutes on average to restore attention post a digital distraction. Hence, ironically, a platform made for the purpose of increasing connectivity ends up becoming a reason for people’s isolation and loneliness.

Introducing Confinity 

This is where Confinity comes in with its meaningful, carefully thought out design. Channelling the power of building something meaningful, Confinity taps into the positive impact it can have on one’s health to create a safe platform for people to preserve their memories. It allows people to curate a legacy using their most cherished memories using photos, videos, and journal entries. 

As Profesor Hoplamazian explains using the Bruce Lee quote “empty your cup so that it may be filled”, constantly consuming information on social media does not allow us to learn anything new, instead it further overwhelms our already overwhelmed brains. For this reason, it is very important to take time to “empty our cups” by writing or creating something and allow our brains to actively process the information we’re taking in. 

To summarise, Hoplamazian suggests that if we spend more time creating or building something on social media instead of mindlessly scrolling for hours on end, we may actually be able to use it for “positive mental health and engaging more meaningfully with others”.

The Benefits of Building Something Meaningful

This aligns with the vision of Confinity, which offers people a safe space to engage in meaningful interactions, build and preserve a personalised legacy for generations to come, and foster deep, emotional connections with loved ones. Through its unique features, Confinity allows users to engage in meaningful and mindful activities which can have a positive impact on their mental and physical health, both of which are closely connected. 

According to a study, recalling positive memories lessens the physiological and emotional consequences of acute stress. Furthermore, the research showed that recalling positive memories led to a dampened rise in cortisol levels and lower levels of negative effect a short while after stress exposure along with an enhanced mood in individuals with greater self-reported resiliency.

Results also revealed that reinforcing positive memories and emotions helps broaden a person’s cognitive perspective. Similarly, the experience of positive emotions helps build resilience, improve coping abilities, and increase the likelihood of experiencing positive emotions in the future.

Through its one of a kind features that allow users to store photos and videos accompanied by captions or voice notes, Confinity enhances the process of making memories instead of simply uploading them to a cloud. So, everytime they revisit them, users get a personalised recalling experience that bolsters their memories. In addition to the personalised memory storing experience, Confinity’s journal feature is a means of emotional catharsis for individuals. The platform taps into the therapeutic power of journaling, offering people a space to vent and process their thoughts and feelings, with the aim of improving overall wellbeing and encouraging a positive outlook on life. 

These mindful activities not only improve memory retention but also help in emotional regulation. Most importantly, they enrich the personal narratives that users build on Confinity, providing unique insights into their lives which they can share with their family and friends. Another unique feature allows users to build a family tree to trace their lineage through generations and personalise it by adding details about family members.