Social Media Devolution, One Dopamine Drip at a Time

Is social media good for you? Is it good for society? If it is, why does data show that it’s so clearly bad for your mental health? Studies show that social media has a significant, detrimental impact on mental health. In fact, it may be as damaging as smoking or alcohol abuse. While some argue that social media is actually a way to medicate anxiety and depression, others claim that the amount of content one needs to go through prior to being able to escape from their problems is too much.

This article will examine these contradictory points and more.

Social media uses the latest technology to connect users around the world. Social media allows users to communicate, share information, and create relationships with people they have never met before. This is one of the reasons that social media is said to be good for the mind. It gives people a chance to escape into their own world, become more independent, and establish friendships with new people. However, many people are now discovering that social media can also be damaging for their mental health.

Many people believe that social media is causing anxiety because it makes you feel like you are missing out on life if you don’t use it. You start comparing yourself to other people who seem much better off than you.

A tactic often used by big tech and social media is to take advantage of dopamine by designing for it. Dopamine is a “feel-good chemical” linked to pleasurable activities such as sex, food, and social interaction. Social media platforms are deliberately designed to be addictive. This pleasure addiction comes with its pound of flesh though. They’re also associated with anxiety, depression, and other physical ailments. So what makes users come back for more even when it can literally make them feel sick?

Like a slot machine: if gamblers knew they never were going to get money by playing the game, then wouldn’t play. The idea of a potential future reward keeps the machine’s desperate prey glued to their seat, right arm pumping the slot lever. It is the same concept with social media. You don’t know how many likes a picture will receive, who will ‘like’ the picture, or when the picture will get likes. The unknown outcome and the possibility of a desired outcome can keep users satisfied.

People share content online to boost their self-esteem and feel like they belong in their social circles. They want to be liked and appreciated, so they post content with the hope of getting positive reactions. The problem is that social media users are not always able to connect with the content they post, which can lead to anxiety because of the pressure to keep up with what’s happening online.

Young people are especially vulnerable to anxiety due to their inexperience with social media use and the types of interactions they have on it. They may also need constant approval or attention from peers, which leads them to constantly produce content online, posting photos and videos so they generate likes and comments. This behavior can prevent these users from having adequate time for themselves, which leads them to feel anxious about what others might think if they don’t post regularly.

When one reviews the activities of others, people tend to make comparisons. People are increasingly using the internet to find validation and companionship, which can often substitute for real-life relationships.

FOMO is a fear of missing out. If everyone else is using social media sites, there’s concern that they’ll miss jokes, connections, or invitations. Missing experiences can create anxiety and depression. When people see that they’re not invited to something, it can affect their thoughts and feelings. If they feel excluded, it can lead to physical symptoms.

On top of all of this, social media users are exposed to more messages than they know what to do with. These messages include messages that are shocking, offensive, or just plain weird. The high rates of messages that can be received on social media can lead to anxiety or boredom for users who don’t want to waste time on unimportant messages.