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What was your last activity on social media? Take a moment to think about the content in your last Snapchat streak, a Facebook post, or an interesting tweet like being stuck in traffic followed by a hashtag highlighting the location.
Sara joined Instagram when she was ten years old. She was the last of her friends to sign up, and she could tell the app was appealing from the looks on their faces. Individuals who used to glance at her are now glued to their screens, meaning there has to be something incredibly magnetic, beautiful, and connective that pulls people into these apps.
She quickly began spending 5 - 6 hours each day scrolling (a classic case of social media addiction).
Soon enough, she realized that her mental health and well-being had started getting affected. She recalls evaluating her self-worth by tracking likes, comments, and followers, even removing underperforming posts. It wasn’t just a habit anymore—it felt like an addiction. Every time she heard the buzz of a notification, she had a Pavlovian reaction to check her phone immediately.
Synopsis
Why Do We Get Addicted to Social Media?
Why do we get addicted to our devices and disconnected from the real world?
High Dopamine: The Neurochemical of Reward and Motivation
Social media triggers the same dopamine-driven reward pathways in the brain that are activated by eating your favorite food, winning the lottery, or even taking drugs. You get the same feeling of satisfaction or pleasure as winning a championship in sports or rank in academics by receiving a 'like,' 'comment,' or 'share' on social media. When someone likes your photo or post, your brain receives a hit of dopamine, making you feel pleasure or satisfaction.
How Much Should You Share on Social Media?
Is there a limit to what and how much people should post on their social media?
How much is too much?
These days, people share much of their lives on social media, with no regard to how intimate it may be. You may have seen ‘influencers’ post the utmost intimate content such as birth experience, moving houses, and what they eat/work/travel. People also post pictures/videos of strangers in an attempt to create memes and gain a few likes/comments. While this may seem acceptable to some, it can be inappropriate in many situations. Some post videos online posing potential threats or harm to people in the name of ‘pranks’.
There isn’t any restriction on the content one posts apart from a few age restrictions and sensitivity of the content.
However, before posting something online, consider the following factors:
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How personal is the content?
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How appropriate or honest is it for your audience?
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Who is your audience?
Using too much social media can often lead to social comparison and affect your mental well-being. Reflect on whether sharing a post brings you joy or if it's a bid for validation. Be mindful of your audience—what may seem harmless to friends might be inappropriate or risky in a professional context.
When to Draw the Line and How?
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Recognize the pattern: Be open to accepting that you may be prey to social media addiction and should take a break. Be mindful if you’re posting or scrolling as an unhealthy coping mechanism. For example, if you’ve been scrolling through a beauty influencer’s feed for hours and feel the urge to post ‘glamorous’ pictures for validation, take a moment to ask yourself “Why am I doing this?”
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Habit: If posting your life has become a habit or feels ‘natural’ and you’re unable to enjoy the moment without worrying about “creating a memory” for social media, you should perhaps introspect further. Your sleep and appetite are also affected during excessive social media usage.
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Distress: If your loved ones are seemingly distressed and uncomfortable with their pictures being shared online, draw the line and respect their decision. Also, if it causes you distress, it is a sign to reflect. For instance, when a post doesn’t gain the attention of the audience, and you feel compelled to make it more engaging, pause and think about why this means so much to you.
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Perspective: Before posting, ask yourself questions like “Is this insensitive to any group of people?”, “Is this honest and genuine?” or “Could it affect my family or make them uncomfortable?”
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Emotional Impact: If you notice that there is no connection between mind and body, and you’re zoning out frequently, irritated, or unable to prioritize yourself, it is high time to monitor your social media habits more closely.
Besides, when you seem lost and REEL life seems like REAL life, then you should completely stop its usage. Some people with social media addiction may have 0 friends in real life while 11k followers on social media. Other red flags include explosive anger so much so that you’re on the verge of picking fights, banging doors, or damaging property.
Consult our psychologist in Whitefield Bangalore if you need treatment for Instagram addiction or any other social media addiction.
How to Regulate Social Media Usage?
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Set Time Limits: Set boundaries for your screen time. Whether it's 1 hour a day or four 15-minute social media sessions throughout the day, sticking to a time limit can help you regulate your usage. You can also be creative with how you limit your usage. Reset your connection with the app by limiting yourself to watching 5 videos suggested on your ‘For You’ page, followed by 5 more from individuals you follow. Despite having no time limit, you only watch a maximum of 10 content pieces.
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Assess Your Motives: Reflect on why you are posting. Are you doing it for validation, or does it genuinely bring you joy? Do the lip-sync clips inspire you, or do they have an adverse effect? Maintaining a digital consumption journal can help you understand your motives.
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Take Frequent Breaks: Step away from your mobile/laptop screen and engage in activities that stimulate your senses and require bodily movements. Have social-media-free regions in certain sections of your home, such as your bedroom, washroom, or dining table. Make it a joint effort involving the entire family. Keep a social-media "confession container" where all family members put some part of their money in for misuse.
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Monitor Emotional Impact: Pay attention to how social media affects your mood. If you start feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or regretful, it may be time to take a break. Keep tabs on your social media usage - record how much time you spend on each network and how you feel afterwards. After just one week, you'll have enough data to determine how much time you spend on each platform and how it affects your mood.
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Consider Privacy Risks: Oversharing can attract unwanted attention and make you vulnerable to identity theft or cyberbullying. Evaluate your comfort level, share what you feel okay with the world knowing, and set boundaries to protect your privacy.
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Do Recreational Activities: Instead of scrolling online, make a list of things that you enjoy and ensure they nourish you intellectually, emotionally, or physically. That can be a walk in the fresh air, painting or drawing, playing an instrument, or trying out creative things like embroidering.
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Go on an Unfollowing Journey: Unfollow accounts that no longer serve a purpose and instead search out those that inspire, educate, or relate to interests you want to pursue
Consult our psychology hospital in Whitefield, Bangalore if you need more tips on how to reduce social media addiction in youth
Conclusion
Social media isn't all bad; it can be especially beneficial for people who are timid or socially anxious, or who are exploring their identities. In addition, it improves communication and bonding. The goal is to identify what makes you feel sad or insufficient, as well as what motivates you to do your best, and then develop a feed that reflects that sort of content. Unlike, say, the space in your room, social media doesn't restrict the number of accounts you can follow or the number of things you claim to enjoy. Without such restrictions, it's simple to assemble things you no longer like or that don't suit you well.
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