Two weeks ago, my girlfriend and I decided to take a three-week hiatus from social media. Three weeks may not seem very long, but it has given me a glimpse of the simplicity of how life used to be--when I wasn't always concerned with what that one person from high school is doing with his or her life.
We based our decision on a video we had watched on YouTube. The psychologist in the video explained how social media is like a drug--whenever we feel the urge, which happens throughout the day, we "take a hit" from our phones and "inhale" all of the nonsense peculiar to social media (and much of it is nonsense).
When we wake up in the morning, sit down to have breakfast, and, yes, even when we use the toilet, we constantly feel the need to check what has changed on social media, even if only ten minutes had passed since the last check.
When someone uses social media, they feel a temporary sensation of relief or happiness. This feeling is very fleeting and unfulfilling, however, because we are always seeking that next moment of relief. Neurotransmitters are released in the brain whenever we check social media, much like what happens to a brain on drugs. Chemical receptors in the brain are constantly changing, so they adapt to this high influx of neurotransmitters.
Over time, the receptors require an increased amount of neurotransmitters to activate the desired effect in the host body--happiness or relief. This, of course, can lead to depression or ennui, because the chemical receptors in our brains will require much more neurotransmitter activity to produce happiness than was previously required.
Taking a break from social media has been a grounding experience. I feel more a part of my environment and less like an entity merely reacting to it. I have taken a greater interest in many of the subtleties and trivialities of this world, and it brings greater fulfillment to my life. I feel no longer dependent on social media, which is nothing more than an illusory source of inauthentic happiness.
Will I return to social media? I probably will. I get much of my news from Facebook, and it occupies my time with the occasional interesting, enlightening article. But it's nice to know that a life without Facebook or Instagram isn't any less fulfilling, and I've discovered how easy it is to abandon social media altogether. I encourage you to take a break from social media, as well. If you have a friend or loved one who is willing to accept this challenge with you, it will make the journey even more enjoyable.
