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Social media has changed our world in more ways than we realize, and the same is true for how it is affecting the human brain.
FACT: Research has shown that logging in to Facebook or Twitter causes the brain to release oxytocin, also known as the cuddle hormone. (link to article at bottom of post)
It's a happy hormone! Who wouldn't want that? Think about it. Anytime I feel lonely or depressed, I can log on to Facebook and suddenly all is right in the world. I'm not lonely, I've got 665 friends... which is why I'm at home... on a Friday night... alone.
This was the exact situation I found myself in a few months ago. I felt pathetic. I had just moved back to the city where I went to college to start a new job, and somehow I ended up spending most of my evenings in front of a screen 'cause it was easier than making phone calls.
I decided to end the cycle. I've been a Facebook member for 6 years. The longest I've gone without checking Facebook was one week. It takes 21 days of doing something to create a habit, and that's how long it was going to take to "deactivate" one.
I put a notice of absence on my status, posted my email and cell phone number, had my sister change my password, and began the detoxification process.
FACT: Social media sites are more addictive than alcohol and cigarettes. (link to article at bottom of post)
The first week was the most challenging. It had become a habit of mine to check FB during my breaks at work or when I wanted to relax my mind. Since that was no longer an option, I found myself spending less time on the computer.
Because I wanted to spend more time with people, I started working out with a friend after work. I made more of an effort to text or call people, have coffee or dinner with them. It wasn't long before I became "too busy" to even check email. In times when I was alone, I read, meditated, and prayed.
FACT: The number of people with whom humans can maintain stable relationships is limited by the size of our neocortex to an average of around 150. (link to article at bottom of post)
I had one person, whom I normally interacted with on FB, email me during my detox period. There were maybe 5 or 6 people who noticed that I was "offline". That bothered me a little bit. But then again, it was only 3 weeks. What would happen if I logged off for an entire year?
I saw on the news that one guy decided to take this social media fast to an extreme that I'm not even sure I could do. He went 90 days without any type of communication technology. No social media, no email, no cell phone. I was amazed at how creative his friends got when they realized they couldn't just call or message him. They left notes in elevators, wrote on sidewalks, and wrote letters.
After 3 weeks of no FB, I was a little hesitant to log back on. I was worried about falling into the same habit again. It doesn't make sense for a recovering alcoholic to go back to social drinking.
I still have a Facebook account because I want to stay in touch with friends and family who are far away. I want to see pictures of my friend's kids, keep up with the progress of a ministry to homeless families, know when there's a surprise party for a co-worker. But instead of logging on everyday for hours at a time, I log on every other day for 10 or 15 minutes (sometimes less). I'm in the process of making it 3 times a week and cutting down my friends list.
FACT: Number of hours the human race has spent playing Angry Birds: 200,000 YEARS
Like everything else, social media as a whole has it's pros and cons. It's about having balance in our life, minimizing distractions, and living in the present. It's about being too busy living to write about it.
SOURCES:
USING FACEBOOK AND TWITTER RELEASES THE SAME HORMONE AS CUDDLING
IS FACEBOOK MORE ADDICTIVE THAN ALCOHOL OR CIGARETTES?
FACEBOOK FRIEND TALLY IS ASSOCIATED WITH DIFFERENCES IN BRAIN STRUCTURE
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