Social Media Addiction

Hey guys,

It's Reben here and I've been working in addictions for the last 18 years.

And so in terms of social media addiction,

There's more and more research coming out about it.

And what it does is,

Is it promises connection,

Right?

It promises connection,

But leaves us feeling emptier.

We are feeling more lonely now.

In this modern world than we've ever felt before.

And social media is actually adding to this.

If we use it the way that it pulls us into right which means a lot of doom scrolling checking and all this kind of stuff right we keep checking despite the fact that it it kind of doesn't feel good right but this is not a flaw it's not that there's something wrong with you it's a reinforced pattern and the brain has done this but the brain can also change.

So the brain can change.

So the likes and the follows,

What science shows us,

It's an unpredictable reward.

It's like gambling.

We might get a like,

We might get a follow,

But we might not.

Right.

So what happens as well is,

And this stems from how we've evolved,

Is that there is like a constant comparison.

Going on,

Social comparison.

Right.

Am I enough?

That kind of.

Am I like them?

Am I not like them?

Can I get more?

Can I get less?

Right.

This is part of how the brain has evolved and we have it to a greater or lesser extent.

Right.

And what happens when we get that validation is we get a massive hit of dopamine.

The anticipation and this is similar to gambling i've done a video on uh gambling right here on insight timer And what happens is,

Is that When we are anticipating a like or a follow like.

That actually spikes more dopamine.

The hit is more in the anticipation than actually getting it.

So what does this mean?

This means that we can feel emotionally drained.

So What might it be like?

What am I.

.

.

Hoping to feel.

Is a question that you could say to yourself in those moments where you just feel that connection.

A good thing to do is to maybe turn off some of your notifications so you can only see the badges maybe,

Or maybe not at all.

Because by doing this,

It's going to be easier for you to then notice the pull to go to your phone.

And like I just said then,

It's like,

What am I hoping to feel here?

And this is what it's about,

Right?

Really,

We are creatures of connection.

We want connection.

We want validation.

Unfortunately with social media it gives us distraction.

It gives us distraction.

And then we get some kind of relief,

But it's short term.

Right.

So naming how you're feeling and recognizing to yourself,

Hey,

Maybe right now I don't need to.

Creates a space within you and it also opens up this choice point for you each time and what you're doing is is not succumbing to the old patent and you're building a new You don't have to do this 100 percent of the time,

As I often say.

Right.

It's like we can't just do things 100 percent at the time.

But every time you.

Notice your urge.

Notice the pull.

Notice how enticing it is.

What then can happen is that in that moment.

By allowing those urges to come and go,

You are growing.

You're not just getting the benefits in that moment.

You are benefit benefiting your future self if that makes sense because the more you do something,

Is healthy.

Right?

Something healthy instead of something that is depleting and unhealthy.

Draining of your energy the more you do that the more you're strengthening those neural connections in your brain for that So you've got this.

You've got this.

Just do it from time to time and see how you go.

Check in with yourself as well because you'll notice you'll start to notice the subtleties Um,

Of actually how being really caught up in the notifications of social media and pulled into them actually makes you feel.

And yeah,

I wish you well on this little journey.

Like I said,

Just go easy on yourself.

You've got this.

You can do this.

You can start to reclaim.

Some of these moments for yourself instead of being pulled around by those notifications that just give you a quick hit and then you have a crash.

And your dopamine actually goes lower than what it was before.

So what it was when you were waking in the morning,

For instance.

Anyway,

I hope this video has been helpful.

You take care until next time.