Constantly Feeling 'Checked Out'? What Your Brain Might Be Trying To Tell You

“I’m very desentisised to horrible events. I almost feel like I am less human than I was 10 years ago.”

Parents editor at HuffPost UK

If you feel “checked out” more often than not these days, you’re certainly not alone.

Between reading about and witnessing footage of multiple wars, humanitarian crises, the devastating effects of climate change, as well as bracing ourselves for threats like self-improving AI and a “Godzilla” El Niño, things can feel pretty overwhelming (to say the least).

One millennial Redditor recently explained how they spend “way too much time” on their phone and social media and have realised “how cyclical everything is, how much noise there is, and how little impact” it now has on their life.

They asked: “Is anyone else kinda just checking out of everything?”

Plenty of people could relate to this sensation. “I’m finding myself watching nothing but 90s/00s nostalgia videos lately. I really can’t cope with this hell anymore,” said one commenter.

“I think our generation is just burned the f out,” said another. “We are onto our one millionth ‘once in a lifetime event’ now. We were sold a bunch of ‘work hard’ lies that aren’t paying off. Most of us are one big financial problem away from complete financial ruin. Who wouldn’t be burnt out?”

Why do we end up so ‘checked out’?

Feeling “checked out” can be understood as “the mind’s response to feeling that there is simply too much to process”, said counsellor Edward Hopgood.

“We are now surrounded by a constant stream of information, news, social media, advertising and popular culture, much of it designed to capture and hold our attention,” he explained.

“Even when we are not actively seeking it out, information can be coming at us throughout the day. For some people, this can begin to feel overwhelming.”

Counsellor Rose Fisher notes how while........

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