>>213309708>people aren't depressed because they're fucking "bored"I said they're depressed because of anhedonia, which is caused by constant overstimulation in modern life. Boredom is only one symptom of anhedonia, because nothing is worthy of holding their attention due to fried brain receptors. Little pleasure in anything + no interest in anything = depression. Though that's only one reason to turn to substances, which compounds with the economic one you described.
>People also had infinite ways to avoid distraction in the 90's through 2008Those older pastimes have nothing on infinite scrolling algorithms specifically tuned to be as addictive as possible, bringing previously unheard of dopamine hits with each swipe. Most people vegetate on their iPhones during every moment of their free time, hooked into TikTok or Xitter like junkies.
Try it yourself. Take a one month internet break and focus on eating better, exercising, reading and staying sober. The difference is night and day.