Social media addiction is now being identified as a significant factor that impacts mental health. It has been linked to increased levels of anxiety and depression, especially when it comes to young people. While social media can be used to cope with stress, loneliness, or a sense of community, it often leaves you feeling even more alone, depressed, and not good enough. The constant comparison and belief that everyone’s lives are easier or better, the pressure to have things or look or act a certain way, and the dopamine rush social media or gaming provides which makes everything else less enjoyable all contribute to these feelings.

Teen depression and suicide are at record peaks, and these devastating trends precisely match the emergence and use of smartphones and social media. There has also been a rise in addiction to online gaming, which can provide the same outcomes. Part of what makes smartphone use so addicting is that it triggers your brains reward system. The more time you spend on TikTok or Instagram, the less pleasure you find doing anything else. Everything else becomes boring and the only thing that makes you feel better or that entertains you is the quick “hit” of TikTok scrolling. You may even feel more tired and not have energy like you used to. Additionally, your attention span reduces to where it takes effort to watch a movie because it requires you to pay attention for an hour and a half instead of in 30 second clips. This can impact sleep and concentration and increase irritability and anxiousness.

This can look like:

  • Neglecting responsibilities. For example, not walking the dog because you want to keep scrolling.
  • Inability to stick to a set amount of time online. For example, “I’m only going to spend 30 minutes on Snapchat,” but that never happens.
  • Changes in behavior after going online. You may feel sad after scrolling because you see what everyone else is doing and feel like your life is boring in comparison.
  • Withdrawal from family and friends or increased loneliness.
  • Eating or sleeping changes. You might eat more junk food, skip meals, or have trouble sleeping because you are on your phone throughout the night.
  • Self-destructive or secretive behaviors.
  • Physical pain in your neck, back, or thumbs from being hunched over and scrolling.

Tips:

  • Be mindful of how much you use your phone and how you feel after being online.
    • Are you using it longer than you mean to? Do you only want to game or be on social media?
  • Recognize what your trigger is. People often check their phone when they are bored, stressed, or want to relax. Once you know what triggers you, you can identify better ways to manage boredom, stress, and how to actually relax.
  • Acknowledge the issue. Set time limits for how long you are online. You can do this through the settings section on your phone, or you can use a third-party app.
  • Use your phone’s settings to help you.
    • Use the red-light setting at night to prevent blue light from technology. Blue light can disturb your sleep.
    • Make your screen less engaging by changing it to grayscale or black and white. You can do this through your settings app.
  • Set rules for when you use your phone. For example, give your phone a bedtime. Put your phone in a drawer or in another room at 9 pm so it isn’t tempting to grab and mindlessly use it. Another rule could be that no one has their phone at the dinner table. Looking at your phone during a conversation sends the message that it is more important than the person you are with.
  • Put your phone down, get up, and walk away when you notice you are doomscrolling. Go outside and play basketball. Call a friend. Read a book. Push yourself to do a different activity. Remember the addictive nature of online games and social media.
  • Turn off notifications. Delete apps. You can also delete apps for a specific period of time, like over the weekend.
  • Ask for help. Tell someone you trust you need help setting limits.
Table of Contents Table of Contents Module 1 .0 Module 1 .0 Module 1 .1 Module 1 .1 Module 1 .2 Module 1 .2 Module 1 .3 Module 1 .3 Module 2 .0 Module 2 .0 Module 2 .1 Module 2 .1 Module 2 .2 Module 2 .2 Module 2 .3 Module 2 .3 Module 2 .4 Module 2 .4 Module 2 .5 Module 2 .5 Module 2 .6 Module 2 .6 Module 2 .7 Module 2 .7 Module 3 .0 Module 3 .0 Module 3 .1 Module 3 .1 Module 3 .2 Module 3 .2 Module 3 .3 Module 3 .3 Course Summary Take Assessment