From getting freed from boredom to spending alone time, from being on bed rest to the late-night craving for a partner, from having something to watch during meals to communicating, we are surrounded by Social Media in all aspects. One can’t deny that we have completely submerged ourselves into social media because we have been on it for more than 5% of the day.
Whether it is from waking up and checking phone to have a look at new reels on Instagram to Tweets on Twitter from your favorite celebrity to what text messages you have received on WhatsApp, to sleeping after an hour of watching reels and YouTube videos, from day to night, we are always on Social Media. But what if I say that this is more than an addiction? This blog is all about uncovering the absolute and darkest truth of Social Media Addiction.
You’re Not Addicted to Social Media. You’re Addicted to Being Seen.
It may sound harsh and rude, but that’s the reality. More than addiction, it’s about being seen. Yes, that’s the bitter truth that you have to accept. From the start of the day to the end of the day, you want yourself to be noticed regarding what you are doing, where you are, how you are feeling, what your views are on any topic or media, etc, you are willing to get noticed and seen, which is much more than the additions. It’s a choice, a craving, not only addiction. Our daily Social Media activity includes –
- We use Twitter to post tweets on any crucial topic and then comment on someone else’s thoughts.
- We post on LinkedIn to update people about our new collaboration or recent Content.
- Facebook for engaging with our friends and posting where we checked in and checked out to show how we used to visit places.
- Instagram for regular updates, chatting, and letting others know about our whereabouts regarding our job, likes, dislikes, and whatnot.
- Thread for showing our grids; we want people to see how comfy our environment is.
- We use YouTube to spend alone time watching videos of several genres to pass our me time alone.
The more social media apps we have, the more we invest in them. This isn’t just addiction; you can see the hierarchy; it’s a matter of being seen and acknowledged.
Social Media Myths –
Social Media addicted people use the term to describe themselves as individuals who just scroll feeds for the updates, but in general, they are really addicted to being seen. The myth of just scrolling is that addiction isn’t the truth; it’s the false acclaim. Let us understand this with an example –
Suppose you post an update about your job status on LinkedIn, and try to find the point I am trying to tell you. The process starts from this –
- You Posted a Job Status Update on LinkedIn.
- People started noticing it by increasing their insights and congratulating you on the new position.
- You feel happy to be seen and congratulated.
- Your brain releases the dopamine that makes you feel pleasured enough to make yourself feel worthy and acknowledged.
Did you understand my point? That’s not addiction; that’s the craving to let others know what you are doing and your desire to make them know your worth, be seen, and be given importance.
Why does being noticed or seen on Social Media feel so Soothing?
- Matter of Existence –
Your main motive for being on Social Media is to inform others about your current activity, new haircut, styling, and presence. Your matter of existence refers to getting seen and how you want yourself to be in front of others.
Existence is the Social Media pillar as you want yourself to be on the current outfit, styling, and about your financial status. If no one knows what you are doing or wearing, that means nothing has happened.
- Visibility Status –
Nowadays, Social Media and followers are the new currency and power. The more followers you have, the more views on your topic you will have. Your every post will be followed as a decision, your every story will be watched, and your every reel will be heard. The more followers, the more visible your status will be.
- Validation Status –
As I have said earlier, your followers are your power. Your every post counts as a disclaimer, an order. Even a stranger’s opinion on your post will be termed the validation status because they reacted to your post, on your reel, followed your opinion, and shared their own.
- Personal Branding –
Being noticed isn’t a simple thing, but it requires many things. You must be highly active on Social Media to be the voice, leader, and brand. Yes, you are your brand because no one asks you to upload stories, posts, and reels, but you all do it to show that your points must be heard. Personal branding refers to the self-brand, where you are no longer associated as an employee but make decisions on social media about who you are and what you want to be known for.
Thank you for reading this. Please, don’t forget to leave a comment about how you tackle Social Media Addiction, and you are now clear that it’s not the addiction, but it’s a matter of being seen and known. My next blog related to this genre will be on – Why is it impossible to detox social media? Strong 6 reasons why?
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