Overstimulated: Social Media and Us
In collaboration with:
Social Media Victims Law Center
photo: Pinterest
Social Media can be a great avenue to meet people with similar interests, get personable insights on the lives of people you admire, get travel and food recommendations, news updates, song and movie recommendations, and last but never least, it is a very good source of the funniest memes. In a nutshell, social media is pretty amazing.
However…
We have to be continuously cautious to not abuse this incredible thing that keeps us so interconnected, or let it abuse us. Did you know that a study from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that individuals can indeed become addicted to social networking sites? Did you also know that Pew Research found that 54% of teens say it would be hard to give up the platforms, and that 48% of teens say social media harms people their age, up from 32% in 2022? In addition, the U.S Surgeon General issued an advisory on social media, to “draw attention to the growing concerns about the effects of social media on youth mental health.”
According to the U.S Surgeon General, the reasons for this include the fact that adolescents between the ages of 10 to 19, are experiencing ‘a highly sensitive period of brain development’:
“This period is when risk-taking behaviors reach their peak, when well-being experiences the greatest fluctuations, and when mental health challenges such as depression typically emerge.Furthermore, in early adolescence, when identities and sense of self-worth are forming, brain development is especially susceptible to social pressures, peer opinions, and peer comparison.”
photo: Pinterest
photo: Pinterest
Social Media addiction doesn’t just spontaneously occur. The Social Media Victims Law Center reports that social networking addiction is due to social media sites being ‘designed to be addictive’: “The platforms are developed to trigger dopamine releases from the brain. For example, when a post gets a “like,” the poster receives a dopamine hit. Users want to continue getting that feeling, so they post more. The same process applies to increasing the number of followers.”
In order to promote a healthy social media relationship, it’s important to evaluate your current stance with it. You might not even be addicted to social media, but it’s noteworthy to identify some signs that may indicate social media addiction:
Excessive hours spent on social media platforms
Spending less time with friends or family
Losing interest in hobbies
Exhibiting poor work or school performance
Oversharing personal details
Being unable to detach from their smartphone or computer
Feelings of intense anxiety when not using social media
The overuse and addiction of social media is not only a teenage issue. As adults, we’re not exempt from this either. Mental Health is not a thing for ‘specific ages’ only, it affects all of us. According to the Social Media Victims Law Center, here are some ways social media addiction can impact mental health:
Anxiety
Depression
Low self-esteem
Isolation
Neglecting real-world relationships
Body image issues
Eating disorders
Self-harm
Suicide
photo: Alexandra Nicolae
photo: Pinterest
Earlier this year, I spoke about Individuality, questioning if everyone is trying to be the same. Just because something has more ‘likes’ on social media, doesn’t mean it’s for you, just because you see people seemingly purchasing the same item to post, doesn’t mean it’s for you either. One thing I love about social media is that we can each illustrate the uniqueness of our lives, rather than trying to emulate different versions of the same lifestyle. Personally, all my favorite accounts on instagram are the ones that show people being effortlessly themselves or displaying their art, regardless of what it may be. Social media can also be a great way of practicing not caring what other people think!
Some tips for having a healthy relationship with social media:
Trying a “digital detox” every once in a while, particularly when you find social media too overwhelming, or find yourself consistently and endlessly scrolling.
Intentionally using it for “light” purposes such as getting inspiration or recommendations from creators, enjoying and sending memes (of course), sharing aspects of your life you’re comfortable sharing, etc.
Embrace the individuality of other users, including yourself, instead of using it as a tool for comparisons.
Ensure you’re having fun using social media, it’s never that serious!
photo: Alain Bousquet
Social Media Victims Law Center (SMVLC) is an organization that focuses on the damaging effects social media can have on some of our lives. They have been featured on major publications and media outlets like ABC News and 60 Minutes.
Click here to check out Social Media Victims Law Center
Click here to check out their article on social media addiction
Thank you!
Until the next one
-C
