Social Media & Fantasy Addiction Part 1 of 2

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In this episode of the Recovery Rebirth Podcast we discuss social media addiction. Addiction is defined as a treatable chronic medical disease. It involves the brain, genetics, environment & life experience. Just like any other addiction, social media addiction can involve compulsive behavior that can negatively impact our lives.. 75% of Americans are estimated to be addicted to their phones. With such staggering numbers, this addiction warrants further discussion.

According to statistics, the most addictive social media platforms are: Facebook, Youtube, WhatsApp, and Instagram. Social media can be a slippery slope & many of us fall prey to the “compare & despair” mindset. We compare the banality of our lives to others’ highlight reels. Young women are particularly susceptible to the validation addiction fed by social medial.

Push notifications & the accompanying sounds can cause us to have a Pavlovian response. Social media addiction falls under the process addiction category; like gambling. Both of these addictions are driven by intermittent reinforcement which gives us just enough dopamine boosts to keep us hooked.

We discuss a couple of alarming & informative documentaries focused on social media: The Social Dilemma & The Great Hack. These films showcase artificial intelligence (AI) which was initially a benign marketing tool intended to connect us to people & interests through algorithms. Sadly, the application of AI has become increasingly malignant. Consider how social media has caused political divisiveness in recent years.. Algorithms that helped to curate targeted advertising for products/services also play into our confirmation bias. This ability to hone in on our biases was leveraged during major Amercia elections in in the last several years.. .

Contrary to the original intent to connect us, of social media is causing us to become more disconnected & divided. The political polarization & proliferation of conspiracy theories are prime examples of the darker side of social media. Cyberbullying is a example of how malevolent social media can be, even leading to suicide in extreme cases.

We invite you to ponder how social media might be impacting your life. Do you feel more connected & fulfilled or do you find yourself falling into the compare & despair mindset? Are able to set your phone down & be emotionally present with loved ones? Or do you feel the compulsion to check your phone when you hear an alert for push notifications. Social media isn’t inherently bad, it all depends on how use it. If the compulsion to chedk social medial begins to negatively impact our relationships, jobs, etc. it’s a good time to pause & assess if we might be developing an addiction. Like any addiction, recovery is possible & support is available!

Resources

Documentaries

The Social Dilemma