A notable number of people are now hooked on social media globally. In Zimbabwe, yes, social media is considerably popular, but the majority are not on it. I empirically demonstrated this in an article titled critical look at social media usage in Zimbabwe. For instance, roughly 10 percent of Zimbabweans are on social media. Anyways, today our topic of discussion is different from that. We shall be dealing with active social media users. There is a subtle thing that can grip those people, and that is unhealthy usage of social media. Given that it is usually subtle, what then are the signs your social media usage is unhealthy?
Spending Too Much Time On Social Media
Some people get to notice that they are spending too much on social media. Sadly most people do not. For many it becomes a norm and thus never seems to be an issue. One of the things that may indicate it is too much is when you experience withdrawal effects when you are not on social media. For example, maybe your mobile phone is off, there is no power, or internet connectivity is down. This may present as constant checking of one’s mobile for notifications. If there are several people you know in person that you also interact with on social media, that may help.
Compare how much you interact with them on social media versus in person. You may realize the former outweighs the latter; that is a clear sign. You can also notice missing important timelines, e.g. work, academics, or other commitments. You may notice that you are always doing most things last minute. Maybe you could also be sleeping less. All that can be traced back to spending too much on social media. These are just some of the many dynamics, and if you can be ruthlessly honest with yourself, you can tell.
NB: Though ‘too much’ can be subjective, let me give you a threshold. Several studies indicate that spending over 3 hours on social media daily is too much.
An Insatiable Appetite For Social Media Engagements
Here I am referring to getting metrics such as likes, shares, comments, and the like. Generally, seeing people engaging with your content on social media feels good. However, for some, it can get to a point where one becomes obsessed with getting those engagements. There is a dopamine release when that happens. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter considered to be the brain’s pleasure and reward system. It is released when someone is raving about themselves or when others are raving about them. All this can lead one to do almost anything to get engagement on their social media posts.
When there is a decrease in engagements, they can feel depressed. Another manifestation of this is when someone becomes excessively toxic. Why? Well, it is because toxicity tends to trend more on social media. Plus, it usually provokes lots of engagement, making the original poster (OP) feel good about themselves. You may now understand why some people on social media behave like they do. It is a condition many people have, but it is often hard for them to see. If you or you see someone exhibiting an insatiable appetite for social media engagements, they are going down an unhealthy spiral.
NB: ‘All this can lead one to do almost anything to get engagements on their social media posts’. Does this characterise your social media habits? If so, your social media usage has gotten unhealthy. In other words, it becomes as if your sense of worth derives from social media engagement quality and quantity.
Oversharing Your Life On Social Media
The irony is that social media platforms are designed to nudge you into sharing about your life. An occasional share is not that bad. For example, sharing about what you have been thinking or experiencing lately. That is generally understandable. Simple as that may sound, it may spiral out of control for some. They can constantly share about their life to the point where you can figure them out just by their timeline. There have been cases of people kidnapped, robbed, or even killed. Why? They made it easy for their stalkers to deduce their daily routines.
If you are always updating your social media with what you eat, what you are wearing, where you are going, with whom, what time, and your typical routines, then you are losing it. That is a sign you now have an unhealthy relationship with social media. This also tends to result in an unhealthy seeking of validation from your social media audience, as most of your decisions are premised on what others say. Sadly, people online can say whatever they want, and most do not care about you.
Last year we discussed how social media is manipulating your brain in 4 serious ways. You must take time to go through that article. The tricky part of developing unhealthy social media usage habits is that it is psychologically induced. Social media platforms were designed with psychological hacks to drive behaviour that drives revenue generation. This means you need to take an active stance against shielding yourself. You need to limit the number of social media platforms you are active on. I may have to do a future article on how to do a social media cleanse. I have been noticing many Zimbabweans getting unhealthily hooked to TikTok. Be careful! This is also another subject I may explore soon. If the 3 signs we discussed relate to you, it is high time you take corrective steps. Always remember that when you overstep the confines of moderation, even the greatest pleasures cease to please.
