Wired, Tired & Trapped: Finding Balance in a Digitally 
Addicted World, Mufaro Gunduza (2025), CARLSE. 
 
In an age characterized by the relentless hum of notifications and 
the intoxicating glow of screens, we find ourselves living within 
an unprecedented digital landscape that shapes our thoughts, 
behaviors, and relationships. The very devices designed to 
connect us have paradoxically untethered us from reality, leading 
many to feel a profound sense of exhaustion, isolation, and 
disconnection. Welcome to the 21st century, where we are 
"Wired, Tired & Trapped."  
 
As we navigate this digital realm, addiction to our devices 
manifests in myriad forms—social media scrolling, incessant 
gaming, binge-watching, and the persistent need to check for 
updates, often at the expense of our well-being. This addiction is 
not merely a personal struggle; it reflects a societal shift toward 
an existence where screen time supersedes face time, leaving us 
emotionally depleted and tethered to a virtual world that demands 
our constant attention.