The Addictive Nature of Social Media: Dopamine, Validation, and Self-Worth

The Addictive Nature of Social Media: Dopamine, Validation, and Self-Worth | Daily Tribune

There’s a plethora of studies that suggest social media is addictive. In fact, when someone engages in it, the dopamine chemical is released in his brain. This explains his desire to engage some more. And just like the energizer bunny in the commercial, the addiction just keeps on going and going.

Incidentally, anything that gives you pleasure will trigger the release of dopamine. This can range from innocuous activities like sports or shopping to pernicious pursuits like drugs or gambling. What this chemical does is basically to activate the reward pathway in the brain. This is why any Facebook user, for example, would not be able to survive his day without checking his newsfeed, posting something, or commenting on someone else’s video or photo.

In social media, a person’s sense of self-worth, or even lack of it, is immediately validated. If he posts a picture of his meal and gets numerous likes and comments, he somehow thinks he is loved and therefore would feel the need to post some more to sustain the same feeling. As proof, I was able to keep track of everything a friend has eaten for the past six years. Why? Because every day, he would post his breakfast, lunch, and dinner and seemingly takes delight when people send heartfelt likes and emojis.

Conversely though, once engagement gets low or outright stops, a tremendous feeling of alienation sets in, making one depressed and sad. He gets to question his own identity, wondering if people hate him for not liking his posts.

I have a friend who once confronted me about our friendship because I simply liked his recent post instead of sending heart emojis like I used to regarding his previous posts. I actually could not remember anymore why I did that, but I am sure it was not deliberate or motivated by ill-will. Yet he still chose to ascribe intention instead, forcing an issue for a motive.

Social media indeed can become destructive, losing one’s sanity in the process. I know of an influencer who started with posting TikTok dance videos wearing some bikini, if not skimpy outfits. Of course, engagements poured in, but once they slowed, she began upping the ante by showcasing nip slips here and there until she ended up going almost topless.

But aside from this, social media also gives one a feeling of invincibility. Apparently, once he gets on his keyboard, he feels like he can say anything he wants, even thoughtlessly making vitriolic comments on people and issues one after another.

During the Covid pandemic, I remember posting a joke about the way former President Duterte was handling the crisis. Usec Badoy saw my post and immediately shared it with various DDS pages sans context. I received tons of hateful comments, with some calling me stupid while others saying I am an enemy of the State. One even called me fat. For crying out loud.

I guess ultimately, the key to really navigating social media effectively is to maintain a healthy dose of self-awareness. Since it is an addictive platform, less engagement makes sense. Besides, there are other far greater things life offers which shouldn’t be missed.