4 Ways Social Media Changes Our Lives?(3 min read)

Social Media has become part of our daily lives. On average a person spends 3 1/2 hours on these platforms a day, which equals 24 hours, a whole day a week. Studies have shown this has affected our attention span, self-esteem, and our productivity. Personally, I just feel it has taken over my life. I took a year off of Facebook last year for mental health reasons which I believe helped me focus on more of my surrounding versus the constant need to check these portals of communication in the hope that one post could intrigue us enough to think it was worth it. This need never fully gets met there is science behind why social media has become an addiction we cannot cure ourselves from by many factors.

1. How it affects our brain

When we use social media the goal is to find information or posts that make you feel. positive response. When you get likes or comments a chemical in our brain called dopamine, known as neurotransmitter spikes. This chemical affects our level of happiness and 'reward-motivated behavior'. This goal to gain this reward is never fully reached on social media. We go into a constant cycle of searching and needing these likes to feel a certain level of satisfaction that never fully manifests.

2. Alters our appetite 

Studies have shown that looking at photos of "food porn" can increase our appetite even after we've had a meal. Food photography creates an appealing esthetic to culinary dishes. It creates a need to have a more satisfying meal. By contrast, our meals in real life look slightly less than spectacular. 

3. It affects our multitasking skills

The spiral effect of getting stuck checking emails, then going on Facebook to respond to a message, checking Instagram on the latest posts. This affects our multitasking abilities by a lot. Studies have shown on average it takes 20 minutes to fully concentrate on a task once distracted. For students and workers, this can create difficulty because we are never fully immersed in work when we have our phone next to us. 

4. It creates more drama

The 'hide behind the screen theory' has evolved in the past few years of social media. From political arguments that end with no resolve, to personal issues meant with insensitivity and bullying. People pretty much write negative and hurtful comments with no remorse. Even fighting via text has become the most popular way to express our feelings. Psychologists say this is one of the biggest issues with social media. When you are typing response of post you don't have the fear of confrontation because it doesn't seem as real. The best thing to do is to stop yourself in these moments and think is this the right way to respond to others....probably not.  

Also, keep in mind that some of these actions can have consequences. For example, the status of social media etiquette is becoming a thing employers look for when hiring. If you post controversial or discriminating posts you could lose many opportunities. It can also affect romantic and other relationships. Seeing your significant other 'like' a person's post can create jealousy or conflict that would not normally manifest.

Ultimately, we realize social media can affect our daily lives in many ways. The best thing to do is to be more mindful of how and why to catch ourselves falling into this trap. It's easy to get wrapped up in the digital world and all it's potential but keeping one foot, in reality, will benefit your mental and physical health.