Digital Detox

Today I confessed to Justin that my Lenten sacrifice (giving up social media) is going nowhere. I keep breaking it, swear I won’t break it and then go on to do it again several hours later. I’ve been sober ten years and I can’t conquer a little (or not so little?) thing like social media addiction. Then again, Justin said social media is designed to be addictive. 

Here are some things that make something addictive (as told by AI)

• A dopamine surge. Dopamine make drugs and alcohol physically addictive but you can also get dopamine from likes, shares and interactions on Facebook. However, over time the dopamine delivery lessens. 50 likes is no longer enough. Now you need 100 likes. (HelpGuide.org). This is called developing a tolerance and when deprived of their fix, it leads to withdrawal. So the user will start again if only to feel normal (National Institute on Drug Abuse). The instant gratification pattern of Facebook and Instagram has ensnared me in an endless cycle of videos, pictures of Sydney Sweeney and my own clever wit,  appreciated by the general public.

• Facebook is different every time you visit. National Institutes of Health likened it to a slot machine because you never knew what you were getting. The unpredictability and randomness was part of the fun. At least it seemed random to you but Facebook (and Instagram) were probably following measured algorithms.

• FOMO. I need to know what is going on. Last month a friend invited me to a party but I didn’t see the invitation and I missed the party. I am still upset about this. Facebook is a way I can keep up with parties and invitations. There was also the fact that I would always see parties or gatherings I was not invited to and I would just sit there staring at the screen fuming at the way my friends were smiling without me. 

Another thing I told Justin is that I often feel bad about myself after going on Facebook. I don’t often get jealous of weddings because I know Justin and I will have our day eventually. But when I’ see a girl looking hotter than me or when I see someone has achieved something I cannot (personally or professionally) and most of all, when I see a young mother (a dream I had to chloroform), it all reduces my mood and then I slip into a funk. So looking at it clearly the cons of Facebook and Instagram outweigh the pros. So today I deleted the Facebook and Instagram apps off my phone. I can’t have willpower if they are right there (I don’t have a Tik  Tok in case you’re wondering). I’ll download them again when Lent ends. But maybe I won’t even miss them.