Social Media and Dopamine
Social media is addictive. Period. Whether it's mindlessly scrolling through Instagram while we're in line for coffee or refreshing our Twitter feeds every five seconds, we just can't seem to get enough. But have you ever wondered why we're so obsessed? The answer, my friends, lies in a little neurotransmitter called dopamine.
Did you know that this "addiction" is chemically backed up? Your brain has a reward center that produces a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that's responsible for feelings of pleasure and motivation. Dopamine is released whenever we do something we like. It’s the brain's way of saying, "I liked that, do it again."
Dopamine is released when we eat delicious food, spend time with someone we love, and even when a baby is breastfeeding. Dopamine is also released from... drum roll please... social media scrolling.
Yup, dopamine, the positive feedback chemical, is released whenever you are active on social media. No wonder we just can’t seem to stop scrolling.
Why Dopamine Makes Us Social Media Addicts
Social media is basically one big dopamine trigger. Every time we get a like on our latest post or a new follower, our brains light up with dopamine and we feel that rush of pleasure.
And just like any other addiction, the more we chase that high, the more tolerant we become and the harder it is to get that same feeling from the same thing. This makes you need more screen time to get the same level of dopamine.
Maybe when you started on TikTok, you could scroll for 15 minutes and be fine, but now you scroll for 45 minutes and still want more. Dopamine keeps us scrolling and refreshing, hoping to get just a little bit more of that sweet feeling.
Other Addictive Features of Social Media
This all sounds super science-y so far, so let’s look at a couple of nonchemical reasons why we seem to get so addicted to social media.
A long time ago, a famous psychologist named B.F. Skinner did some intense testing on lab rats. We will spare you the exact details, but basically, he found that behavior becomes addictive when it's rewarded (logical).
The most addictive behavior is usually triggered by not knowing when the reward will come.
To give a real-life example, say you are heavily involved in Instagram. One day, you upload a Reel of yourself doing a trending dance. You get over 500 likes, and so many people leave lovely comments on your video.
You feel great and plan on posting a similar video the next day. But the next time you post, you only get 200 likes and no comments. You get frustrated, but you decide to keep posting. It turns into a daily thing.
You never know when you will get likes or if your video will totally bomb. But you’re hooked. You now NEED those likes. This concept is what Skinner's experiments proved.
If you know an action WILL produce a reward, you are likely to keep doing said action, but within a reasonable amount of repetition.
If you see that an action COULD produce a reward, but it's not guaranteed, you will gradually become more and more hooked trying to achieve the elusive reward.
This is the same concept that hooks people into playing slot machines at casinos. You never know if the next one is the winning slot.
Whether you realize it or not, social media facilitates the reward feedback cycle. You never know when you will see a hilarious TikTok or when your Instagram picture will catch your crush’s attention.
You keep scrolling and posting, and liking, and scrolling.
Social Media and Mental Health
So, social media is addictive, mmmkay. If you want to spend your free time scrolling, so what? Does that even really matter? Is there anything negative about it besides having a mild addiction?
Well, yes, you can absolutely scroll as much or as little as you like. Still, overuse of social media has been directly linked to higher rates of depression, anxiety, FOMO, constant comparison, and feeling like one's life doesn’t measure up.
FOMO, or the Fear Of Missing Out, is a real phenomenon that social media can trigger. When we see everyone else having fun and living their best lives, it can make us feel like we're missing out on something great. And what do we want to do when we feel like we're missing out? Check our phone, of course! Once again, this comes down to dopamine; seeing other people having fun activates the same pleasure centers in our brain as if we were experiencing the fun ourselves.
Social media connects us to people we may not connect with otherwise, but it also allows us to compare ourselves to others continually.
Comparison honestly kills joy. Feeling low, you are much more likely to fall victim to negative patterns and behaviors.
So if social media is chemically addictive, conditioning us to want more and more, and ultimately leading to higher risks of adverse mental health, do we have to just log off permanently?
Nope! Let’s talk about ways to practice "safe" social media use.
#1. Limit time on your apps
In 2022, the average person will spend just under 2.5 hours daily on social media......
Let that sink in.....
2.5 hours.
That’s longer than most movies.
That's longer than most people take to run a 10k… (according to Google, we do not know from experience. 10k who?)
2.5 hours a day is a long time.
So, begin by limiting your time.
Most phones offer insights into what apps you use the most and how long. Start by seeing how often you are on social media. From there, commit to cutting down your use by 15-20 minutes every couple of days.
If you commit to going cold turkey, you probably won’t stick to it. So make realistic and attainable goals.
You could also download an app that locks your social media accounts after a certain amount of use if you feel you need an extra boost of accountability.
Now that you have set limits, think of something you have wanted to do but never seem to have time for.
Odds are, you do have time; you’re just using it on social media. Commit to doing whatever that "thing" is in the free time you get from less media use.
Pace yourself; this is most definitely a marathon, not a sprint.
#2. Be present in REAL social situations
We've all been guilty of being in a social situation that makes us feel slightly awkward and immediately jumping onto Instagram or Twitter to distract ourselves from the awkwardness.
Maybe you’ve been to a dinner party where everyone has their faces in their phones scrolling instead of talking with the people right in front of them.
Practice presence.
Commit to not using your social media (or phone, period) while with people in social settings. If you are uncomfortable, strike up a conversation with someone you haven't talked to before. Or take a deep breath and remember that it's okay to just sit and be sometimes!
We don’t have to be entertained constantly.
#3. Mostly follow pages that bring joy
Have you ever woken up happy and ready for the day, only to have one negative IG comment ruin everything?
It’s so easy to let what we see online influence us in the real world, so, crazy idea, unfollow those negative voices.
You have the power over what shows up in your newsfeed (to an extent, we understand you can't control your’ For You pages), so take ownership of it! Follow pages that uplift you instead of making you feel crappy.
You may not be able to unfollow your great aunt Bertha, but you can limit which posts appear in your feed in your settings!
Also, a mute-cation is healthy. Sometimes we have to mute people for a day, a week, a month or forever. Don’t feel bad. Don’t overanalyze the feeling. If muting an account helps your mental health and positive beliefs in yourself, DO IT.
#4. Take breaks when needed
Our final tip of the day is to take a social media sabbatical whenever necessary.
Maybe it's for a day, or maybe it's for several months. Whatever amount of time you need offline, go for it. Mentally refresh, be present, read a book, go on a vacation, and don’t post about it, spending a night just enjoying the company of your friends without phones. When you feel emotionally ready to scroll again, Instagram, TikTok, Snap, Facebook, YT, will all still be there.
Conclusion
This article has been a bit science-heavy, but we believe knowledge is freedom.
Knowing how addictive social media can be is enough to change the game for creators. If you have ever found yourself struggling with comparison, or feeling more anxious after a social media scroll, it is worth taking a look at HOW you are using your apps.
Remember, social media is there for you to use. It’s there for you to capitalize on, not to ruin your life. Understanding best practices when on apps and giving yourself space to take breaks when needed are great ways to protect your mental space!
