We’re going on a dopamine hunt
We’re going to catch a big one
What a beautiful post
We’re not scared
Uh oh, an addiction
A frightening, overwhelming addiction
We can’t get over it
We can’t stay under it
Oh no, we’ve got to work through it
Aaarghh wahhhh, aaarghh wahhh, aaarghh wahhh
The short term boost you get from seeing the number of likes, shares, comments, retweets you get on social media is addictive, in the same way as gambling is addictive. Neither is good for you.
Social media can be a wonderful tool for connecting, engaging and sharing, but it can also be extraordinarily detrimental to our wellbeing if misused.
The infinite doom scrolling of highlight reels that make us believe that everyone is doing something phenomenal every moment of every day.
Or the oppressive opinions in certain groups which threaten to consume our every morsel of joy like Dementors that can drag us into the deepest depths of despair.
And then we wrap ourselves up in our duvet at night, maybe having one last check on Facebook before laying down our phones and expecting ourselves to sleep soundly with all the riotous rabble racing through our minds. The make believe world of social media is still bubbling away in the background and in the real world, all the anxieties, stress and FOMO lingers with you as you close your eyes and lie for hours wondering why you can’t sleep and why you have palpitations. Could be that coffee you had at lunch time? Could it be worrying about tomorrow? Or could it be that our brains can’t switch off that quickly from the bombardment of BS.
Be wary of the espousers of sophistry who are using social media purely to their own ends.
Be aware that this probably makes up a large majority of users.
Use social media cautiously.
Use it to connect.
Use it to inspire and be inspired.
Social media can benefit our lives and our profession if used appropriately.
This blog is undoubtedly laden with hypocrisy, but having an awareness of your enemy is the first step in the battle.
Blog: 17
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