By Kevin Gong
Social networks have become a big part of our daily lives. Maybe even you spend a few hours a day scrolling. Alternatively, you might know someone whose finger is scrolling through the news in the online space even when they’re falling asleep. Digital media can be a good distraction or entertainment, but not when it’s used excessively. If someone starts using it to kill every single spare moment and the whole thing gradually starts interfering with their daily life, it is probably not a good sign. Not to mention that on social networks you can perceive reality with a distorted impression. Everyone portrays themselves in the best light possible, so when you compare it to your real life, it might seem that you’re doing something wrong. So in today’s article, we’ll take a closer look at what social networks can do to your psyche and how mindless scrolling affects your life.
You might say that scrolling on social media is pretty innocent compared to the slot machine example. After all, your partner does not threaten you with divorce because of scrolling. It’s not like once again you turned your joint savings into a missed opportunity in a casino. Yes, endless scrolling is free, but there are a few things why this seemingly innocent activity is hurtful. The habit of endless scrolling can cause us unpleasant feelings, for example, in moments when you do not have your smartphone in your hands. When you try to put it away, the urge to reach for it can occur several times during the first hour. On average, people reach for their phones up to 52 times a day. After 12 hours without a phone, you may feel anxious as the stress hormone cortisol begins to be excessively released in your body. Cortisol can do many harmful things to your body. Weight gain, diabetes, and muscle weakness are just some of the things that excess cortisol does to the human body.
Overall, Endless scrolling on social networks can also affect your physical health. People often scroll at the expense of some physical activity. Lack of regular exercise then affects overall health. Additionally, due to the endless scrolling, you can very easily forget what you planned, lose track of time and neglect other activities. On top of regular duties, this might also include your sleep. Many people scroll on Facebook or Instagram late into the night and deprive themselves of hours of important sleep.
