In an age where connectivity reigns supreme, social media platforms have become omnipresent in our daily lives. From Instagram's endless stream of filtered perfection to Twitter's rapid-fire exchanges of ideas, these platforms offer a virtual landscape where we can share, connect, and engage with others. However, beneath the surface lies a darker reality—one where the addictive nature of social media can wreak havoc on our mental well-being and quality of life.
The Science of Addiction:
In today's digital era, the prevalence of social media addiction has reached alarming levels. According to a 2024 report, Indian smartphone users check their phones an average of 80 times per day, which is about once every 12 minutes. The report also says that Indians spend about 31% of their waking hours on their phones, and 50% of that time is spent streaming content. In 2022, Indians spent 4.9 hours per day on their phones, which is less than Indonesia, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Mexico, and Australia.
The average Indian spends 194 minutes a day on social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. This is 89% of online users who are active on social media every day, and all of this consumption takes place on smartphones or tablets. On average person globally spends about 145 minutes on social media daily, while Indians spend about 141.6 minutes. This means that if the average person maintained this usage over an average life span of 73 years, they would spend 5.7 years on social media platforms.
Just like substances such as drugs, alcohol or even gambling, social media triggers the release of neurotransmitters in the brain, particularly dopamine. This feel-good chemical is associated with pleasure and reward, creating a cycle of seeking behaviour. Every notification, like, or comment activates the brain's reward system, reinforcing the desire to engage further.
The phenomenon of how individuals become accustomed to the rewards and stimuli provided by these social media platforms, leading to a diminishing impact on their overall satisfaction and well-being over time is known as the hedonic treadmill.
Initially, when individuals join social media platforms, they are often drawn in by the novelty and excitement of connecting with others, sharing content, and receiving validation in the form of likes, comments, and shares. Each notification or interaction triggers a surge of dopamine in the brain, creating a sense of pleasure and reward. However, as individuals become more accustomed to these rewards, the initial excitement begins to wear off.
With continued exposure to social media, users may find themselves caught in a cycle of seeking increasingly more likes, comments, and validation to maintain their dopamine levels and experience the same level of pleasure. This constant pursuit of validation can lead to a chronic dopamine deficit state, where individuals require more stimuli to achieve the same level of satisfaction.
This phenomenon of the hedonic treadmill, when applied to the usage of social media platforms, highlights how individuals become accustomed to the rewards and stimuli provided by these platforms, leading to a diminishing impact on their overall satisfaction and well-being over time.
Consequently, they may spend increasing amounts of time on social media, constantly refreshing their feeds in search of the next dopamine hit of satisfaction.
Social media uses complex algorithms that are complicated mathematical formulas or sets of rules which collect user data, analyse his/her preferences and time spent and tailor the content according to every individual preference with endless scrolling features. These platforms create an environment of continuous stimulation, making it difficult for users to disengage. This constant barrage of information hijacks user's attention, leading to decreased productivity and increased susceptibility to addiction.
The Impact on Mental Health:
As our dependency on social media grows, so too does its impact on mental health. Numerous studies have linked excessive social media use to a host of negative outcomes, including increased feelings of loneliness, depression, and anxiety. The curated nature of social media feeds often fosters unrealistic comparisons, leading individuals to feel inadequate or envious of others' lives.
Moreover, the relentless pursuit of validation through likes and comments can erode self-esteem and self-worth. As users equate their online popularity with personal value, they become increasingly vulnerable to fluctuations in engagement metrics. This validation-seeking behaviour perpetuates a cycle of dependency, wherein individuals derive their sense of worth from external sources rather than internal validation.
The Illusion of Connection:
While social media promises connectivity, it often delivers a superficial replica of genuine human interaction. Behind the screen, relationships are distilled into likes, shares, and emojis, lacking the delicate communication found in face-to-face interactions. As a result, individuals may experience a sense of isolation despite being constantly surrounded by virtual connections.
Furthermore, the commonness of cyberbullying and online harassment can intensify feelings of alienation and distress. The anonymity afforded by social media encourages individuals to engage in behaviours they might not exhibit in offline settings, appealing to a culture of toxicity and aggression. For vulnerable populations such as adolescents, this can have particularly devastating consequences on their mental health and well-being.
The Distortion of Reality:
In addition to its impact on mental health, social media has the power to distort our perception of reality. Through carefully edited profiles and staged photographs, users project an idealized version of their lives, concealing the mundane realities beneath the surface. This phenomenon, known as "social media envy," can lead individuals to develop unrealistic expectations and aspirations, ultimately fuelling feelings of dissatisfaction with their own lives.
Moreover, the widespread misinformation and echo chambers on social media platforms further worsen this distortion of reality. As individuals are exposed to content that aligns with their existing beliefs and biases, they become fixed in their ideological bubbles, resistant to opposing viewpoints. This polarizing effect not only maintains societal divisions but also manipulates our collective understanding of truth and reality.
In conclusion, while social media offers unprecedented opportunities for connection and expression, its addictive nature can have profound consequences on our mental health and well-being.
We are now getting too much dependent on multiple tasks installed on our phones. While doing work it becomes very easy to switch and do some other work after receiving the notification. The solution to this problem is - to use what is necessary.
To address social media addiction, it's crucial to disrupt the cycle of ease of access and speedy rewards. Simple strategies, such as deleting social media apps from phones or turning off notifications, can reduce the temptation to constantly engage with these platforms.
Technology or social media is not our enemy. Our distracted mind has become our enemy. By creating barriers to access, individuals can regain control over their digital consumption habits and prioritize real-life experiences over virtual validation.
Thus, we can say that with great power indeed comes great responsibility—and it is up to us to rise to the challenge and face it.
. . .
References: