When the Sirens Sing: Screen & Stimulus, Neurodivergence and the Pull of the Modern World

Lately, I’ve been thinking about the old Greek story of the Sirens — those haunting voices that sang sailors toward the rocks.In my work with neurodivergent adults, I see a version of that same pull everywhere: the endless scroll, the next game level, the ping of a new notification.Our culture hums with stimulus.And for many of us — especially those with ADHD, autism, or both — that hum can become a siren song.

The Ancient Warning

In Homer’s Odyssey, the Sirens promise knowledge and delight:

“Come here,” they call, “and listen to our song… for we know all that happens on the earth.”

Odysseus, forewarned, plugs his crew’s ears with wax and has himself tied to the mast. He doesn’t silence the world — he creates boundaries strong enough to survive its beauty.

The myth isn’t just about temptation; it’s about awareness.It asks: how do we keep our direction when pleasure and danger sound exactly the same?

Our Modern Sirens

Today’s Sirens live in our pockets and on our screens.Social media, streaming, gaming, online shopping — all designed to capture our attention and feed the brain’s dopamine system.

In her book Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence (2021), psychiatrist Dr. Anna Lembke writes:

“We are drowning in dopamine. The quantity, variety, and potency of highly reinforcing drugs and behaviors has never been greater.”

Her research shows how easy access to reward — digital, chemical, or emotional — resets our internal balance. When pleasure is constant, the brain compensates by dulling sensitivity; we need ever stronger stimulation just to feel “normal.”

That’s why scrolling or gaming can feel less like fun and more like relief. The system is chasing equilibrium — not joy.

Neurodivergent Wiring and the Siren’s Song

For neurodivergent people, the sirens sing louder.Brains wired for novelty, intensity, and pattern-seeking often need more stimulation to stay engaged — but can also tip into overwhelm faster.

Someone with ADHD might crave the quick dopamine hits that technology provides.Someone autistic might find online spaces safer and more predictable than social interaction.Someone with AuDHD (traits of both) might feel trapped between the two: overstimulated and unable to stop.

Dr. Lembke notes that “the same neuroplasticity that allows us to change our habits also underlies addiction.”For many neurodivergent adults, the boundary between coping mechanism and compulsion can blur quickly. The screen becomes both sanctuary and siren.

Building Our Own Mast

Odysseus didn’t destroy the Sirens — he learned how to hear them without losing himself.That’s what I think of when I talk with clients about regulation and balance.

A few practices that can help:

• Awareness: Notice when stimulation feels soothing versus when it becomes numbing.

• Boundaries: Create modern “masts” — time limits, tech breaks, accountability with a friend.

• Balance the System: Pair high-dopamine activities with low-stimulation ones — movement, quiet, creative play, nature.

• Tolerate the Pause: As Lembke writes, “The pain of withdrawal is also the portal to pleasure.” Short periods of boredom can help the brain reset.

• Self-Compassion: Recognize that sensitivity to stimulation isn’t a flaw — it’s part of your design. You can learn to steer with it, not against it.

  
  

The Deeper Current

What the Sirens offered was not evil; it was beauty untethered from safety.Our culture often confuses stimulation with vitality. For neurodivergent minds, that confusion can become a trap.

But awareness is power. The moment we can name the song — dopamine, novelty, validation — we can decide whether to follow or to steer another way.

May we, like Odysseus, listen closely without surrendering.May we tie ourselves to what matters most — connection, meaning, rest — and chart a course toward balance in this loud, glittering world.

References:

Homer. (1996). The Odyssey (R. Fagles, Trans.). Penguin Classics. (Original work published ca. 8th century BCE)

Lembke, A. (2021). Dopamine nation: Finding balance in the age of indulgence. Dutton.