Have you ever felt excited because your friend messaged you something that you’ve been anticipating all day? Or your favorite celebrity just posted on instagram? What you’re experiencing is dopamine from the thrilling notifications that pop up on your phones, waiting for you to open them. Addiction center says “social media interaction can be compared to a syringe of dopamine injected straight into the system.”
The urge to turn on your phone every second to check for updates is so tempting that sometimes we get off task from things that are really important; doing homework, studying, and even spending time with our families. Adolescence is the second biggest period of the brain’s development, and since its skills are quickly developing, they are especially susceptible to the addictions of social media. Once we get hooked to the rush of excitement from social media, “this feeling becomes harder and harder for anyone to resist, creating patterns of addictive behavior” (Journal of American Medical Association).
As teenagers, it’s hard to find free time in our day’s when we have so much homework and sports, that it’s easy to reward ourselves by scrolling on tiktok or instagram, but sometimes we prioritize this before doing our work, and by the time we’re done scrolling it’s 11 pm. Although social media is a prime way to talk to your friends, there’s a price to this connection. Excessive social media use can disrupt our sleep patterns and tamper with our focus when it comes to school. Hannah Noser, ’28, explained, “One time I had 19 hours of screen time, and I ran out of so much time to do homework. I was up all night and it was a disaster. To limit this, I recommend setting timers and it’s a 10/10 method.”
Although scrolling serves as a way to escape from stress, boredom, or negative emotions, the cost of cramming in studying and homework isn’t worth it. Recently, the temporary tik tok ban that took place on January 18th had the whole nation in despair and disbelief, raising questions about the ability to disengage from digital platforms. Many young users expressed these feelings at the thought of losing the platform which they rely on for interaction and entertainment. For many teenagers, social media has transitioned from a leisure activity to an essential aspect of social identity and interaction.
To foster healthier screen time habits, it is crucial to implement structured strategies. Setting timers, as recommended by Hannah, is an effective method for managing screen time. Encouraging discussions about the importance of time management and the potential consequences of excessive screen time can empower students to make more conscious choices regarding their digital consumption.
The ongoing conversation surrounding social media’s influence on young brains calls for a shift in perspective. Rather than viewing young people as victims of its effects, we must empower them to be responsible digital citizens. The future of young minds is not determined by technology, instead it’s shaped by how we engage with it.
