The God and Bad With Social Media Part 2
Part 1
Barrington H. Brennen, Oct 21, 2021
PDF Format
In
Part 1 of this article, I gave some startling statistics and
what is positive and negative about social media True, it
is my view that social media is more positive than negative.
Social media is made possible because there is a worldwide
web, we call the Internet. I do not hear people criticizing
the role of physical libraries in society. The internet is
the library at your figure tips. That is wonderful.
We
can search scholarly articles, enter university digital
libraries, and just discover the world in the privacy of our
homes. We can listen to radio stations from literally any
country. It is also because of the Internet that we can
purchase items, pay utility bills, pay school fees, book
vacations, etc. The internet has made the world very small.
I do not believe we can live without it anymore.
However, here is what is challenging with the Internet and
social media. Since people can access the Internet in the
privacy of their homes, secrecy and privacy can become a
challenge to many. When these two components are combined
with the lack of self-discipline and guidance, there is a
higher risk of dysfunction, addictions, and social
imbalance. Another challenge for some is the portability of
the Internet. With a hand-held gadget (iPad, SmartPhone,
etc.) and the availability of Wi-Fi and phone Data, an
individual can really hide a crippling secret for a very
long time---send nude picture of yourself, sexting, etc.
Many relationships end because a partner found inappropriate
texts or photos on his or her partner’s hand-held gadget.
Then
there is even a more powerful culprit at play. In my 2017
article entitled “Those Annoying Cell Phones Are Still in
the Way,” I stated: “There is a chemical produced in the
brain called dopamine which some experts believe is the
culprit. Writer, Arpan Roy, in his article, “Why are people
so addicted to their cell phones/smartphones?” shares about
this chemical and how it impacts us. He writes:
“Dopamine, a "feel-good chemical," is a neurotransmitter in
our brain, which although critical for more mental and
physical functions, play an important role in reward-seeking
behavior. . . Dopamine motivates you to seek pleasure-giving
rewards like food, sex, and in some cases, drugs.”
Have
you noticed when on a social media platform like Facebook or
Twitter, one can scroll down for an unlimited time, viewing
the photos and information? Each time the hand swipes the
gadget, more dopamine is released giving that urge to stay
there and a feeling that you are doing something right and
pleasurable.
What is social media addiction? In the article by Jena
Hilliard entitled “What is social media addiction?” she
states: “Social media addiction is a behavioral addiction
that is characterized as being overly concerned about social
media, driven by an uncontrollable urge to log on to or use
social media, and devoting so much time and effort to social
media that it impairs other important life areas.”
Experts say that social media addiction can be similar to
any other substance abuse addiction. There can be a
pre-occupation with social media and withdrawal symptoms
like unpleasant feelings when social media is restricted.
Here is one revealing quote by Jene Hilliard: “Studies have
shown that the constant stream of retweets, likes, and
shares from these sites cause the brain’s reward area to
trigger the same kind of chemical reaction seen with drugs
like Cocaine. In fact, neuroscientists have compared social
media interaction to a syringe of dopamine being injected
straight into the system.”
Social media addiction is serious. Hilliard article
continues: “According to a new study by Harvard University,
self-disclosure on social networking sites lights up the
same part of the brain that also ignites when taking an
addictive substance. The reward area in the brain and its
chemical messenger pathways affect decisions and
sensations.” Now we can see why so many people cannot put
their phones down. For many, a social media continual
presence is like an escape from reality or the only “support
system” they have. Here is the subtlety with social media.
It can become an echo chamber of your thoughts and views. In
other words, as you continue to view and read topics with
your bias, the more they appear for you to view or read.
Then you become stagnated and hooked, perhaps on something
that is really a conspiracy. You are trapped, and difficult
to be rescued from the dark pit of the negative side of
social media conspiracies.
To
conclude, here are a few tips to help one deal with social
media addiction taken from the article “Six Ways To Beat
Social Media Addiction.”
-
Turn Off Notifications. “It can be so difficult to
detach yourself from social media when your phone lights
up every minute with new notifications. So turn them
off.”
-
Don’t Have Your Phone By You Whilst You Sleep. Place
the phone outside the room. “It is not difficult to see
how our phones wreak havoc with our sleep schedules. 45%
of people choose to scroll through social media instead
of sleep.”
-
Remove Your Phone From Your Morning Routine. Likewise,
do not reach for your phone the moment you get out of
bed.
-
Place Less Weight On Your Personal Social Media
Appearance. “One of the big signs of social media
addiction is that you spend a lot of time overthinking
and over-planning your posts. This causes anxiety and
stress. If you place less importance on how and what you
post, you will be able to free up your mind from this
stress.”
-
Opt For Analogue Alternatives. “Fall back in love with
your hobbies or discover new ones. Set yourself time
away from work and your phone to explore and enjoy
non-screen-based activities, such as arts and crafts,
reading or exercising.”
-
Digital
Detox. The best thing that you can do is learn to live
without it. This doesn’t mean abandoning social media,
it just means spending some time away from it
completely. This is called a digital detox.
Go to
Part 1
Barrington Brennen is a marriage and family therapist. Send
your questions to
question@soencouragement.org or call 242-327-1980,
or visit
www.soencouragement.org
