If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you already have an idea about how I feel about social media. While it can be a great way to connect with others, it also has a dark side. With the social media boom, and tons of new apps and platforms still popping up regularly, it’s become more normal to be what some may call “Insta-famous.” But to me, being famous on Instagram (or any other social media platform) is like being rich in Monopoly. It is fleeting, and doesn’t mean anything. Yet so many of us, are really invested in the likes, comments and followers we get on social media.
To understand how social media has become a permanent fixture in our culture, we have to go back to MySpace. MySpace was the first social media platform to hit one million monthly active users. And that was back in 2004 – almost 20 years ago now. Two years later, Facebook began to see major growth and by August of 2008, they had 100 million members. And over the years since then, many platforms have emerged. For example, Instagram was originally launched in October of 2010 for iOS and gained one million users in just three months.
It has only been in recent years that experts have talked about the dangers and negative consequences of social media use, as well as the effects it has on the human brain. I remember reading an article where Steve Jobs was asked about how his kids like the iPad. He replied, “Actually we don’t allow the iPad in the home. We think it’s too dangerous for them in effect.” He went on to say that he recognized how addictive an iPad can be as a tool for delivering things to people, including instant access to various platforms.
I’ve referenced neuroscientist Andrew Huberman a few times on this blog. Finding his work and listening to what he had to say about how social media use effects our brains was one of the things that helped form my own opinions about the dark side of social media.
He also talks about how social media and our phone usage has impacted how our brains process dopamine.
While there are parts of social media that can be positive, at some point you have to look at your own use of it and ask yourself if you are placing too much emphasis and validation on likes, followers, and engagement.
We know from Huberman that social media affects the brain’s pleasure center. So every time you open your favorite social media app, dopamine (the neurotransmitter that makes you happy) is released.
Let’s go a little further. Each time you get positive feedback on something you’ve posted or get more followers and likes, your brain thinks it’s a reward. And because this feeling is only temporary, you go back and revisit or continue to post to chase that feeling. So, how do you balance it?
Schedule Time to Use Social Media and Only Use it During That Time
The easiest way to handle your screen time is to try and make a schedule to log on. Doing this will allow you to be more productive in your daily life rather than wasting time mindlessly scrolling and posting.
If you were to add up the amount of time you spend on socials in one day, you’d be surprised. Fifteen minutes in the morning, thirty minutes of your lunch break, etc. Ask yourself what other, more productive things you could do with, let’s say, thirty of those extra minutes? Could you start a book or knock something off your daily to-do list?
Stop Comparing Yourself to What You See on Social Media
I’ve said this many times before. What we see on social media is curated, edited content and is the user’s highlight reel. I can promise you from my own social media use years ago, that behind a seemingly amazing life, was a someone who was struggling in every aspect of her life. Comparing yourself to a barrage of images that have been filtered or staged to look perfect does nothing to help your mindset.
If you’re going to use social media, find ways of implementing positivity. Look for positive quotes and stories and use them as a tool to empower your growth.
Ask Yourself How Social Media is Working For You
If you’re a person that already struggles with mental health, like depression or anxiety, keep an eye on your mental state. Is looking at social media helping your state of mind, or causing you to feel worse? If you find yourself consistently feeling worse when you’re scrolling away on social media, take a break. Take a walk or just sit outside, feel the breeze and listen to the birds sing.
While I have my own person feelings about social media, it is not all bad. It relays information quickly, connect us with people from all over the world, and can be a powerful tool to help us learn new things. However, overuse can be addicting and have adverse effects on our psyche.
While the likes, follows, and engagement can be great, you should always try and find a balance between real life and the fantasy land of social media. There’s a whole other world aside from these apps to experience and it’s out there, waiting for you to explore it.
