Ankit was once a cheerful and easy-going young man, well-liked by his friends and family. But over time, something changed. It started subtly—he began spending hours glued to his phone, scrolling through aggressive news debates, watching videos filled with outrage, and engaging in endless online arguments.
At first, he thought he was just staying informed. But soon, every conversation with him turned into a battle. He snapped at his parents over minor disagreements, fought with friends over social media posts, and even started seeing negativity in the simplest of things. His mind was no longer his own; it was consumed by anger and frustration.
One evening, his mother called him for dinner. “Ankit, come eat before the food gets cold.”
Irritated by the interruption, he shouted back, “Can’t you see I’m busy?” His voice echoed through the house, sharper than he intended.
His mother sighed and walked away, hurt. His father, who had been silently observing for weeks, finally spoke. “You’ve changed, beta. You were never this angry.”
Ankit scoffed. “I’m just aware of how unfair the world is. Someone has to care.”
But deep down, an uneasiness settled in his chest. The more he consumed negative content, the more reactive he became. His patience wore thin, his laughter faded, and stress tightened its grip around him. Even small inconveniences made his blood boil. He slammed doors, muttered under his breath, and even threw his phone in frustration once, shattering the screen.
The breaking point came when he lashed out at his best friend, Rohan, over a trivial political disagreement. “You’re blind if you don’t see it my way!” Ankit had yelled, veins bulging in his neck.
Rohan’s expression shifted from anger to sadness. “Ankit, we used to have fun. Now, all you do is argue. You used to be the guy who made everyone laugh. Do you even enjoy life anymore?”
That night, Ankit lay awake, Rohan’s words echoing in his mind. When was the last time he had felt genuinely happy? When was the last time he had laughed without sarcasm? He had mistaken constant outrage for awareness, but in reality, he had lost control over his emotions. He was exhausted, and his relationships were crumbling before his eyes.
Determined to change, he decided to take a break from consuming toxic content. He deleted apps that fed his anger, stopped engaging in pointless debates, and chose uplifting books and documentaries instead. The first few days were difficult—his fingers itched to scroll, to argue—but he forced himself to step away. He started spending more time outdoors, reconnecting with old hobbies like playing cricket in the park. Slowly, his irritability faded, and his mind became lighter.
One evening, he sat with his parents at dinner, truly present after a long time. The warmth of the food, the chatter of his family—it felt like home again. His mother smiled, eyes glistening with relief. “It’s good to have you back.”
Ankit smiled back, realizing that he had regained something far more valuable than any argument—his peace.