(Forbes) – Some professionals have warned against the excessive use of YouTube Shorts. For example, ChoosingTherapy.com, an outline site for mental health articles, released a report in 2023 describing how the compulsive urge to watch videos on YouTube can lead to disruptive sleep, neglecting personal responsibilities, and diminished interest in offline activities. This report acknowledged that ‘YouTube Addiction’ is not an official clinical term but stated that excessive use can lead to symptoms such as heighted anxiety, loss of self-control, and even withdrawal.

Short Video Addiction (SVA) is a term used by researchers, and this is separate from excessive general internet use. A 2025 report in the journal of NeuroImage highlighted how SVA represents an uncontrolled use of short-video platforms (e.g. YouTube Shorts, TikTok, Instagram Reels) to consume rapid information in which the content is personalized by algorithms. According to this report, SVA has a negative impact on brain functioning, including increased reward processing and decreased top-down cognitive control, which could affect attention and emotional regulation. (Read More)