Two topics are important in today’s world. On the one hand, we got social media, which has revolutionized our lives. On the other, we got mental health, which is slowly becoming less of a taboo.
Social media has become part of our daily lives. Smartphones, tablets, and computers are crucial for human connection, staying up with what’s happening worldwide, and more. Mental health is considered something we must take care of instead of hiding any issues that could be occurring. Going to a therapist appointment is as common as getting a physical health checkup, as it always should have been.
But what happens when these two topics meet in the middle? What happens when social media use and dopamine release are interconnected? Can that lead to social media becoming addictive? Here’s everything you need to know.
How Dopamine Works
Dopamine is a brain chemical with several functions. In terms of neurotransmission, it helps with the body’s movement, memory, mood, attention, and more. It also has a part as a hormone, reducing the level of insulin production in the pancreas, can cause blood vessels to relax or constrict, and several other functions.
Furthermore, dopamine is known as the “feel-good” brain chemical. Dopamine gives people a feeling of pleasure, thus, leading individuals to seek activities that trigger the production of the hormone.
This response can lead to people doing several activities to seek this feeling of reward. For example, imagine you try boxing for the first time. This activity will release endorphins, serotonin, and our star hormone, dopamine. This chemical response could lead to you wanting to keep going to those boxing classes.
When we take it to the social media aspect, it can be another trigger for dopamine, as you would be seeking content you enjoy, topics you are interested in, and algorithms will learn what you like and give you more of it, leading to higher dopamine levels.
Social Media Platforms Effects on Dopamine
As you know by now, social media use can increase your dopamine levels, but what if it’s too much for your brain and you haven’t realized it yet?
A noticeable increase in dopamine by doing one activity has addictive potential. It is a lot different if you increase your neurotransmitter by doing diverse beneficial activities instead of focusing its production on just one hobby.
Experts, such as Doctor Anna Lembke, an addiction specialist, have highlighted their concerns regarding addiction to social media, as it is one of the easiest, most accessible forms of putting our psychological well-being at risk.
What Social Media Addiction Can Look Like
Getting to the concerning part of this topic, let’s begin talking about addictions.
Addiction is a spectrum disorder in which a person has an intensive, uncontrollable need to engage in behaviors that lead to sensory rewards. Of course, addiction looks different depending on what the person becomes dependent on.
So, what does social media addiction look like? Here are some key factors to look into:
Spending Large Amounts of Time Thinking About Social Media
The first red flag can be spending your time thinking about social media. Imagine this: you are at a get-together with some friends, and one of them just told a funny story. Instead of fully enjoying the situation, you think about sharing the moment online.
Or, you are at the office doing a serious task that requires your focus entirely. But what you truly want is to take your phone and scroll through social media for a while instead of having to do your job.
These situations can be worth paying attention to, as it shouldn’t be as common to find yourself thinking about social media rather than being in the moment.
Need to Use Social Media at All Times
Did you leave your house an hour ago but need to go through your phone and see if you have any notifications almost immediately? Are you at the cinema but wish you were watching short videos or reading what your peers are saying online?
You might want to pay attention to these thoughts and behavior, as you should be able to carry on with your day without wanting to stay online.
Anxiety Related to Not Using Social Media
What if you are actively trying to stop going on social media as often but don’t feel that well? What if you find yourself feeling an intense FOMO (Fear of missing out)? what if the “feel-good” sensation is gone entirely, and you feel nervous instead, find yourself getting clammy hands, or maybe even getting dizzy just because of how much you need to log into your social media apps?
In any of those cases, you could be experiencing anxiety related to the restriction of social media. Of course, mental health specialists are the ones who must diagnose anything related to it but the previous scenarios can help you gain an idea of what could be happening, and therefore lead you to book an appointment with a doctor.
Decay in Daily Productivity
Another scenario that could raise a red flag in your use of social media is if it affects your daily tasks. Let’s exemplify this through a student: a college student is in class, but instead of paying attention to what their professor is saying, they are on their smartphone, maybe even disturbing the lesson for those around them.
In a corporate setting, visualize a person who instead of carrying on their tasks, prefers to stay online and click their day away delaying their deadlines, leading to problems with their bosses and supervisors.
Using Social Media as an Escape
This factor can be a little trickier for some. Some people resort to social media to have fun for a while, maybe turning to streaming platforms to watch a movie or a tv show. But, there are cases where you could be going on social media as an avoidance method.
Imagine a person going through anxiety and depression and not having the resources to get treatment. In those cases, that person could resort to social media to get their mind off their feelings.
If you prefer to stay online to forget about things happening in your personal life, that can be a red flag.
Use Social Media, Don’t Let It Use You
The truth is that if you find you are having issues with social media dependency, it isn’t something you can tackle by just turning your phone off or going outside more.
Yes, those are tips that can work to reduce media dependency, but someone who is severely addicted to social media needs more than just that.
The hardest part is accepting that, in the beginning, you will experience less pleasure than you normally would while using your phone. If you find it’s a challenge to take time away from your electronic devices, there are mental health programs dedicated to treating social media addiction as it can be considered a compulsive behavior disorder.
However, if you want to go into a dopamine deficit by reducing the time you spend on social media, try doing things such as increasing your social interactions in person, having self-imposed time off-screen, and trying different activities that decrease the hours of the day you spend on your electronic devices.
Digital Burnout
Another thing you could be experiencing is digital burnout. Maybe you find yourself bored scrolling through Instagram or Tiktok, yet you click on one more video. You might feel exhausted or perhaps could be experiencing depression and anxiety through the excessive time spent on social media.
Digital burnout can lead to other conditions, such as sleep disorders, issues with one’s energy, and overall physical and psychological health decrease. Social media users could find themselves becoming easily irritated or perhaps far more sensible than they would usually be, and these situations could be related to this condition.
To stop digital burnout, take similar steps as the ones shown above for social media addiction.
The Relevance of Mental Health in the Digital Age
First and foremost, we must start talking about how mental health has become an important factor in our daily lives. What used to be a social dilemma, viewed as a taboo, and treated as a secret, is slowly becoming a normal topic, as it should have always been.
But, as social media becomes just as relevant, it is important to see the impact of it on our mental health. Another important consideration is learning how to boost mental health in the workspace while also navigating the use of social media, recognizing the potential effects. Making sure you are not spending too much time online is as important as taking care of your body physically. Sure, social media increases the chances of connecting to others through its many chatting features, but this act does not equal the effect of social connection face to face.Â
Becoming part of the digital world is important to stay up-to-date, but making sure your life does not become dependent on likes and comments is just as important.
It is for reasons like these that social media platforms implement features such as controlling the amount of time you spend on the app or hiding the amount of likes a picture or post receives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Release Dopamine Without Social Media?
Yes, you can. You can release dopamine by engaging in healthy activities such as doing sports or spending time with people you value. You can also resort to going back to hobbies you enjoy, like painting or playing the guitar. The idea is that you do activities that you find pleasurable and drive you away from electronic devices for a few hours.
Can I Live a Normal Life Without Social Media?
Yes, you can live a normal life without social media. Of course, one of the most common uses of social media is to connect to people far away from you or stay updated on what is happening globally, so having social media accounts isn’t entirely bad. All you must do is pay attention to how much time you spend on these platforms.
Does Dopamine Ever Return to Normal Levels?
Yes, it does. Research shows that people who quit their drug of choice or any other addiction they have, eventually go back to having normal levels of dopamine. It can take 90 days or more to see any differences in dopamine levels. Of course, this depends on the addiction the person is facing.
Conclusion
The human brain has evolved over millions of years. Our brain’s reward based on the activities we do can have a strong impact on our daily lives, and social media can lead the brain to release dopamine fast and through a significantly easy activity.
Pay attention to how you engage with social media, as you want to develop a dependency on it. It is possible to be on social platforms in a healthy, responsible way so that your brain won’t be affected.
