A Different Type of Drug

Courtesy of Flixr via Creative Commons

Whether we realize it or not, we are all addicted to our phones. It’s the first thing we check when we wake up and the last thing we put down in bed. We cannot go a few minutes without receiving a notification from an app, text message, snap, or phone call.

Before you start to feel bad, realize this: there are 2.07 million people actively use Facebook daily (Luttrell 106). In today’s generation that’s not even the preferred method of social media. People use social media apps like they take their daily vitamins, daily and mindlessly.

When we take the time to truly think about it, social media has become an alternate universe. Even if you haven’t met the people you follow in real life, you could easily tell what they value, their sense of humor, and simple personality traits. So, when you get that notification or see that someone posted a new picture you are only seeing 5% of their life, but yet feel as if you know their life story. That’s the danger of finding oneself too engaged in online personas of social media, it’s an alternate universe. It’s a more polished version of real life, where everyone is having a great time and is always happy, but in the end that’s not life. It’s a utopia.

There is no secret that there are negative effects of using social media as a young child or teen. The American Academy of Pediatrics has warned about cyber-bullying and "Facebook depression”, and even began to claim that the same effects may apply to adults.

In today’s society we almost shame people for wanting to take breaks from social media or cutting it out almost altogether. Many of us can’t imagine what it would be like to be so unconnected to the outside world.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest female in Congress took to Twitter to explain the toxic societal norm that we live in today.

Courtesy of Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez's Twitter @AOC

In a series of tweets, she explains why she took a break from social media: self-care. She took her position of power and influence to share with her followers, that we first need to focus on reality and then let other things fall into place. The congress woman is in tune with herself and finally said enough is enough. She points out that society will shame those who choose not to take part in what is the never-ending stream of content, even if it is only a break.

In a recent piece in New York Magazine, written by Andrew Sullivan, he explains his battle with his phone. Explaining that he felt disconnected and anxious whenever he wasn’t constantly in the “loop.”

“An endless bombardment of news and gossip and images has rendered us manic information addicts. It broke me. It might break you, too.”

Now while Sullivan’s relationship with technology is very extreme, (his article is very sobering, and I highly recommend reading it) I think we can all agree we have become part of a mindless cycle with our devices. Some may even describe it as an addiction.