Before I am called out for the irony of scrutinizing social media on the internet, let me make some form of disclaimer. I am not anti-social-medial. 

Social media has been an overwhelming success that has allowed us to connect and re-connect with our loved ones. It has become a beautiful platform for collaboration, expression and uniqueness at a time when individuality is more important than ever.

However, despite social media’s sincere ambitions, it is becoming more apparent that there is an explicit correlation between social media usage and rising levels globally of anxiety and depression.

Why is this so(cial media’s fault)?

Scientists estimate that in a face-to-face conversation, individuals discuss themselves approximately between 30-40% of the time. Whilst this may seem alarming and somewhat self-centered, this percentage increases to 80% when the conversations take place through the medium of social media in the form of private messages, comments and story interactions.

The issue with this figure is that people are using social media as a sounding board to manifest their emotions and inner feelings to, as opposed to a genuine and qualified listener that has one’s best interests at heart. 

There is a tendency for excessive social media users to become thirsty for its validation and approval. What complicates the situation more is that this desire for ‘validation’ is not linear and can be pursued through different means across a range of platforms. 

This could be validation being sought by acquiring a certain amount of likes on a post, and even resulting in individuals deleting content with fewer likes in order to protect their social media image. Validation may also be gained through the engagement associated with story interactions, in order to win a desired reaction from an individual or a group of people. 

These artificial indicators of approval release a ‘dopamine effect’ in the brain, leading to a synthetic ‘feel good’ episode. This ultimately creates a vicious cycle of social media craving, where individuals feel compelled to upload and share content in order to maintain their online persona.

Why is this dangerous?

Chasing the ‘feel-good rush’ of a dopamine high due to social media also has further collateral effects. The most obvious impact on one’s life is being bound to an existence solely to ‘live through the screen’.

By conforming to the addictive nature of social media, we end up dedicating so much time trying to craft and maintain a social media image that our real existence passes by. 

Research has shown that in 2020 the average time spent on social media by adults with smartphones has increased to 145 minutes a day, equating to 36.8 days a year. Imagine all the experiences that could be enjoyed and the memories that could be made with an extra 36 days!

Time is finite and does not come back. However, social media is artificial and thus opting to live our lives through a screen results in the sacrifice of our real physical existence. I think this really presents the irony of incognito options such as snapchats’ ‘ghost mode’ (pun inbound) as…this feature allows users to temporarily ‘ghost out’ by hiding their activity and location, however by spending endless hours on snapchat aren’t we becoming ghosts in the real world?

Hoe to not ‘miss out’ on missing out.

The ‘FOMO effect’ is a key form of anxiety associated with social media addiction. When we become so obsessed with what everyone else is doing, we stop giving our own life the focus and attention it rightfully deserves. 

I often refer to the need to ‘put yourself in the driver’s seat of your own life’ instead of being a passenger in others. 

If you do genuinely feel yourself slipping into that passenger seat, there are a variety of ways to establish a healthier relationship with social media. Apple devices have a screen time feature built into the software that allows users to track as well as place limits on their time using certain apps. 

Additionally, you could try a more physical approach, such as by placing your phone in another room when you are at home or in a bag when you are out with your friends. 

Verdict?

I’d like to conclude by making it clear that I am not condemning social media. The birth of apps such as Facebook and Skype have been revolutionary in allowing us to stay in touch with friends and family across the globe. Social media has also significantly increased the accessibility of media and news material from around the world, creating thousands of jobs and providing a platform for creativity to thrive. 

Social media has allowed positivity to spread on a scale far greater than what is possible at an individual level. One only has to observe the supercharged activism of the BLM and Save Palestine movements to see the success the internet can have in encouraging positive change. 

Without discrediting these revolutionary campaigns, we must remember the importance of maintaining balance. Social media’s intended purpose was to bring together those who live far apart, not to distance those who have the privilege of living in proximity. Life is a precious gift and the memories we make along the way will be of the mind, not saved to Snapchat memories or stored on a camera roll.