Are you up to speed on the dopamine posts? If you aren’t, you know where to click.

***

Jeremy, a friend and world-class photographer, shared about his own social media experience:

"Last year, I scrolled and scrolled and scrolled and just became more angry with the abuse I saw in religious systems. More angry with the President. More angry with the troll posting racist memes. When I wasn’t angry, I saw my friends’ posts on Instagram—parties, date nights, impromptu gatherings, even their incredible work—and FOMO crept up on me. That’s when I knew I needed a break.”

He didn’t say it in so many words, but the anger, anxiety, and fear led Jeremy to a simple (though luminous) epiphany: He was addicted to social media. Why else would he continue to mainline the drug that filled him with so much angst and regret?

This notion of social media addiction is not speculation or conjecture. In fact, the science backs it up. In, “What Happened When I Gave up Social Media for a Month,” (Fast Company), Stephanie Vozza connects her own addiction to social media with the feel-good hit of dopamine she gets as she scrolls. But in crafting her own piece on social media addiction, Vozza doesn’t rely on her own anecdotal experience. She writes:

Michael W. Smith, WebMD chief medical editor. In some cases, it’s possible to go from friendly exchanges to something more serious.

“More and more research suggests that social media addiction is a real phenomenon, with symptoms similar to other addictions,” says Smith. “Researchers are finding chemical changes in certain pleasure areas of the brain. That sounds like a good thing, but just like many other addictions, it becomes a problem when a little pleasure starts to disrupt the rest of your life.”

Today, examine your own potential addiction to social media. Ask yourself:

How much time do I spend on social media? Does it distract me from the things I need to be doing?
Does social media disrupt my emotional well-being? Does it make me angry, anxious, or envious?
Would it be difficult to fast from social media, even for a few days?
***
A Word About These Posts
Over the next year, I’m creating a series of connected pieces, each of which will build on the previous posts. It’s a sober stream of consciousness that began with my Waking series. Where will it go? You’ll have to follow along to find out. So, if you’re not already signed up to receive my daily emails, you know what to do. (And while you’re here, consider picking up my books, Coming Clean and The Book of Waking Up.)

A Word About These Posts