Everyone should limit use of social media.
I already know this is hypocritical, but I have based my opinion on personal observations and struggles.
With the rise of social media in the 2010s, everything in life, at least to me, feels so sped up and rushed.
Why is everyone in such a hurry?
My theory is that smartphones, social media and the internet have made society impatient. Everyone is so used to having questions immediately answered on their smartphones, so waiting in real life becomes agitating.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, social media was used to connect with people remotely. Once the pandemic was lifted and society was able to mostly return to normal, our reliance on smartphones didn’t lessen.
Rather than the internet just being a useful tool, it has now become a fact of life for many of us.
If you don’t have internet access, you are now missing out on opportunities and connections, whether that be for personal or work reasons.
My friend Symphony and I always comment on how we think drivers on the road are acting more sporadically than when we were driving at 16. Her theory is “those dang phones.” Whether it be phone usage while driving or just the usage outside of driving, we aren’t sure if the usage is connected, but it sure feels like it.
After all, our use of social media has grown and is seemingly endless.
Hence, the term “doomscrolling.”
The American Brain Foundation defines the term as “the overconsumption of negative short-form content or news, especially on social media platforms that have an infinitely populating feed of new posts.”
With the rise of the general public’s use of artificial intelligence, these posts can be exaggerated or even false, just to gain traction and clicks online. With the ability to infinitely scroll on social media to access news, it can seem too much to handle and trust.
I would encourage anyone, instead of relying on a social media headline, to click on the web link, verify your sources, visit your preferred news source website or even read something physical to learn the news you care about.
I am not commenting on what news sources are credible; I just encourage people to actually read the articles they pull their news from to know the full story.
According to an article published by the National Library of Medicine, social media addiction is a rising issue, especially among teenagers.
The article states, “Social media addiction is characterized by excessive and compulsive usage that affects daily functioning and overall well-being.”
A large factor that plays into this addiction is that it affects the brain’s dopamine receptors, a specialized protein in the brain that regulates emotions.
I have started to try to limit my endless scrolling on social media. I limit myself to an hour and a half every day across all social media. I do not want to be tied down to social media anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I think social media can be a useful tool, but the endless scrolling doesn’t help anyone.
Personally, I think when I am endlessly scrolling on social media, I am not gaining anything, sometimes I even feel anxious. I would describe it as almost losing my own individuality. The constant consumption of content and viewing of other people has made me treat my life as something in the background. Social media should not be the thing that consumes your life.
I encourage anyone to take the time to do anything but scroll on social media. Listen to music, go to a community event, start or pick back up a hobby.
There is so much more to life than social media.
Be social without the internet.