With screen times higher than ever, terms like “doom-scrolling” have become normalized to subdue the severity of social media addiction and the overconsumption of media. According to the Addiction Center, social media addictions can have an effect on people’s emotions, social behavior and physical health.
The majority of college students having constant information and entertainment at their fingertips was originally a positive and helpful advancement, but we, the Ranger staff, believe that the overconsumption of media is taking a toll on many students’ mental health.
The cycle that depressive behaviors create is one that can be hard to comprehend if you yourself haven’t experienced it. With devices practically glued to our hands, the cycle becomes even more difficult to escape.
A major factor in this pattern is unhealthy spending habits. When it comes to online advertisements, a survey conducted by the National Library of Medicine stated that 70 percent of social media users were likely to click on an advertisement presented on their feed. This not only has massive effects on the amount of waste polluting our environment, but also on the financial wellbeing of individuals, leading to more mental health strain. With it only taking a few clicks to purchase an item, bank accounts lower and stress levels rise.
Since the increased use of social media, the severity of mental health issues has only continued to grow. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly one in five adults live with a mental illness and many professionals have tied this to the overuse of social media.
Though the convenience of constant entertainment is difficult to resist and doom scrolling can feel impossible to escape, there are better ways to spend your time. Perhaps it is time to turn off the notifications, erase your social media presence and pick up a new hobby. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, teens spend an average of nine hours a day in front of a screen, when the recommended amount of time is as little as two hours. Activities like being physically present with peers or family can create a social serotonin boost our brains are so desperately calling out for. Spend an hour off of TikTok and learn about something that has always interested you; pick up an assignment or start that paper you’ve been putting off.
There are so many different ways we can limit ourselves from social media that, in the end, will better our mind sets and mental health. Next time you feel compelled to doom scroll, push it as far out of your mind as possible, turn off the phone and go outside.
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