In this week’s post I would like to focus on why so many human’s have become so inseparable from social media. Like many other users, I don’t want to admit that I am “addicted” per se, only that I enjoy using it so much that I do not notice the fact that I subconsciously check my phone five times a minute. In reality I probably am addicted to social media or close to it. A lot of people in our country are actually, about 10% (Hiliard). This percentage mostly accounts for teenagers and young adults. What makes social media addiction so dangerous is its availability. Someone might get dirty looks if they smoke a cigarette out on the street, however if that same person were to be scrolling through social media no one would notice, because everyone else is also staring down at their phone.
Disapproved by society Approved by society
In addition to its easy access, there is an unlimited amount of content on these social media apps. Not only is there unlimited content, there is unlimited content which is specified to only show pictures and videos in categories you have showed interest in. The more you use social media the more it is able to learn about you and therefor show you media which you are more likely to enjoy seeing. This is a similar concept to selective advertising, which many companies use to sell products to consumers who are more likely to buy. In order to understand how our brains can be become addicted to something that is not even consumed, smoked, or drank, I decided to do some research on what social media addiction is.
What I found was that similarly to the way that one becomes addicted to cigarettes and other addictive substances, rewards from social media platforms create dopamine, and trigger the reward section in our brain. The reward center in people’s brain is most active when they are receiving positive feedback about themselves. When someone posts a picture of themselves and receives positive feedback through comments and likes, the reward section of the brain is stimulated and dopamine is released (Hiliard).
In conclusion, it is easy to see why people can become so hooked on social media without even being aware it is happening. I mean it seems like such a fun harmless premise. Share pictures, like pictures, stay connected, and learn things…awesome. If only that was the case. It is a combination of the convenience and the rewarding feeling which makes social media such an addictive platform. What sets these apps apart from other addictive substances is that there is no negative stigma around them, and most people are unaware of at the addictive effect it can have. Next time you find yourself looking to social media for a mood boost, be aware of how that feeling can contribute to addiction. One of the hopes for this blog is that the more we learn about why and how social media is so compelling for humans, the better we will become at distancing ourselves from these bad habits.
References:
Hiliard, Jena. “Social Media Addiction.” Addiction Center, 18 June 2020, www.addictioncenter.com/drugs/social-media-addiction/.
Picture Source:
Other two are stock photos.
I honestly find it odd that there isn’t a negative stigma around social media. The idea at its core (sharing pictures and other random things with friends) is good, but in practice, there are so many awful aspects to it. Social media addiction often exacerbates or even causes a lack of productivity, low self-esteem, and feelings of social isolation. Constantly seeing people’s “happy-reels” of their best moments (and best, photoshopped angles…) makes it difficult to not compare yourself and wonder why you’re not that happy, pretty, etc., even if you consciously know that it’s not real.
I like how who mentioned about social media learning our likes by following what we post, follow, view, and like. It is something that is scary to see as things we look up online become ads on social media. The scariest things are when you only talk about something and never actually look it up and an ad appears for it on your phone. Times like that make me wonder if my phone listens to me or not.
Wow, this post really made me think. I never even thought of the fact that social media doesn’t have the negative connotations other addictions have, which is why it is getting progressively worse and worse in our society. You brought so many things to light in this post, I’m glad I was able to learn something new that might help me and my issues with social media!