By Lilian McDonald, Staff Writer
Social media is increasingly prevalent in our daily schedule, but our online activity seems insignificant amid everything else going on in our lives. However, social media affects us more than we may believe – the overwhelming stress and busyness we feel may stem from more than just having too much on our plate. If we reduce our hours spent scrolling online, it may be much more beneficial to us both mentally and physically.
Scrolling through social media provides instant gratification to our brain, which may contribute to feeling too busy. In fact, using social media induces the release of dopamine, a sort of “reward” hormone that generates satisfaction and gratification in the brain. When not looking at social media, the brain will become accustomed to such high levels of dopamine from scrolling that afterwards it may feel abnormally low, according to Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science. This is what drives increased or even constant social media use, consuming more of our free time and contributing to feeling busier as well as higher stress levels.
Although overuse of social media can negatively influence our mental and physical health, what we see online can also affect our way of thinking and therefore our health. For example, many influencers will portray themselves online as having busy, full lives, when really that is not always the case. Often, much of what influencers post online is for show or to gain more followers. Even in regular media, such as television shows or among celebrities, a busy life is commonly viewed as a happy, successful one. In an article by Harvard Business Review, a study found that “the more we believe that one has the opportunity for success based on hard work, the more we tend to think that people who skip leisure and work all the time are of higher standing.” In other words, those who spend time relaxing and enjoying themselves are less highly regarded by others.
You may have already heard of the concept of an “algorithm” built for your social media viewing, but what may be lesser known is how companies build individual algorithms. The term “attention economy” refers to a system in which human attention acts as a currency that is “captured, analyzed, and traded for profit” by various social media platforms, says an article from Georgetown Law. Advertisers pay platforms to promote their products, and in turn that engagement online pays the platforms through clicks, likes, and shares. These platforms focus on and hyper-analyze personal data to better form individual algorithms that best adheres to user interest. So, platforms are not just making money from user engagement, but in creating these algorithms, they are simultaneously keeping people engaged in scrolling that come with short bursts of dopamine as reward for users.
The entire system is designed with company profits in mind yet fails to fully recognize the effects on its users. Although it can be admitted that too much time spent online is not the best use of your time, many people do not realize the full effects of using social media. More time spent online means more effects on your mental health and wellbeing, hence the feelings of stress or anxiety that may accumulate with increased use of social media. The twisted way in which companies strive to earn maximum profit is more incentive for less social media use.
Scrolling on Instagram for thirty minutes or so is not harmful by itself but spending on average four hours online daily – like many college students do – can negatively affect your mental health. Reading a book, baking, going outside, doing a craft, or anything naturally stimulating and at a healthier level can be much more calming and relaxing for your mind. It can help lower stress levels and help that overwhelming feeling and busyness ease for even one moment. Setting aside the social media and taking the time to relax doing something you enjoy may help life feel a little less stressful.
ECC Cornerstone 