What I Did Not Know About Social Media
Scrolling through TikTok for what seemed like an eternity, I finally put down the device I seemed to be inseparable from and questioned the productivity I had with it by my side. What was I learning from mindlessly viewing young people attempt to dance at the latest trending songs?
In times of growing concern, where a sense of normality seemed to grow further and further from my reach, I took to social media to gain a sense of connectivity to the world which seemed so distant. Also, for the gratification of escapism, immersing myself in social media allowed me to shut off from the problems in the world around me.
The COVID-19 pandemic has conjured up new ways to interact with your friends and family, or keep up to date with your favorite sports team, all through an online setting. Due to social distancing regulations, meeting up with more than six friends became a criminal act, and watching your team on a Saturday afternoon at a football stadium became a thing of the past. To keep these interactions well and alive, life shifted online predominantly through social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and over the now familiar software, Zoom. Then, I was unaware that I was becoming increasingly consumed by an online world that never slept. Nor was I conscious of the adverse consequences it was having on my mental health and my relationship with those around me.
Addiction can be defined as, “the fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance or activity.” As the months spent in lockdown went on, I found myself getting increasingly addicted to my phone, constantly scrolling through social media to keep up to date with my friends’ whereabouts and daily lives. According to a study by the FFT Education Data lab, 71% of daily social media users in England experienced internet withdrawal symptoms. So why are our phones so addictive?
Dopamine is a chemical, which regulates the feelings of pleasure, seek, and desire in a person. Every time you receive a like or comment on content you created, this chemical is secreted which makes us feel good. This release can slowly generate an irresistible addiction to like, share, and stay on social media, with the average user spending 135 minutes a day on these platforms.
Looking at my screen time, I was shocked that I was averaging over 6 hours a day on my phone, with the majority of my time being consumed by social media applications. I had a sudden realisation that my productivity levels were being damaged by the time I spent on my phone, along with relationships I had with those close around me. Being wary that I didn’t want to hinder my university studies nor distancing myself from family and friends, I made the conscious decision to delete the majority of my social media apps and limit the number of notifications I receive on my phone. Time will tell the impact this will have on my life, but if it means I have more control over my mobile device, it will be more than worthwhile. Below I copied an infographic of ‘The Psychology of Social Media’, to gain a better insight of some of the points I’ve made and tips on how to beat your social media addiction.
