Social Media and the Brain: Addiction or Connection?

Welcome to another blog of Brain Behind Behavior! Today we will be investigating how social media usage impacts dopamine pathways and brain development. Then, we will offer strategies for maintaining a healthy relationship with technology.

How does social media affect behavior & the brain?

The University of North Carolina researched how technological use impacts adolescent neural development. They found that the habit of regularly checking social media is highly correlated with consequential changes on how their brain will respond to life, or, in other words, the world around them.

Increased social media usage causes adolescent brains to become increasingly sensitive when expecting social rewards or punishments. Eva Telzer, an author and professor at the college's Neuroscience and Psychology Department, explained that "children who grow up checking social media more often are becoming hypersensitive to feedback from their peers" (UNC Chapel Hill, 2023). Hypersensitivity to external judgement and criticism can develop into social anxiety disorder or an overall heightened emotional response during social interactions. It is clear that excessive social media use can be detrimental to healthy cognition and psychological processes.

In addition to becoming highly sensitive to social feedback, the brain's response to social media can induce future compulsive behavior. Since social media produces an abundance of social feedback that stimulates the reward system, social inputs become "powerful reinforcers that can condition users to check social media repeatedly" (UNC Chapel Hill, 2023). Studies reveal that 78% of teens check their devices hourly. This habitual pattern of checking one's social media may affect how teenagers' brains develop.

Furthermore, author and chief officer of the American Psychological Association Mitch Prinstein explains that "adolescents begin using technology and social media at one of the most important periods for brain development" which can effectuate "long-standing and important consequences for adolescents’ neural development" (UNC Chapel Hill, 2023), proving just how important it is to recognize the harm that technology can cause for teenagers and their future development.

The rapidly growing normalcy surrounding internet addiction only intensifies concerns regarding technological weaponization. The truth is, social media content can be particularly compelling to users, so much so "that it verges on being coercive" (Dimsdale, 2023). It is critical to make intelligent, educated decisions when scrolling on platforms notorious for its destructive deployment of misinformation. The fear of brainwashing is more than valid given the exploitation and widespread addiction to social media.

How does social media impact user mental health?

Proof of the negative effects of social media usage do not stop at altering adolescent brain development that creates heightened sensitivity to social cues. Research also reveals that habitual social media checking can cause change to areas of the brain responsible for controlling social reward and punishment. Neuropsychologist Dr. Bender stated that different areas of the brain were impacted by habitual social media checking. "The amygdala, one of the emotional centers of the brain, was preferentially affected. It’s the part of the brain that makes us fear, that makes us react. The part of the brain responsible for judgement, reasoning and rewards, called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, was also impacted" (Fishman, 2023).

Additionally, increased social media usage is connected to increased rates of depression. The addictive nature of social media combined with the exposure of curated and unrealistic portrayals of others can fuel low self-esteem, loneliness, depression, anxiety, and feelings of inadequacy. Prioritizing mental health necessitates limitations on social media usage and screen time.

Can social media use become an addiction?

While excessive social media usage is not exactly an addiction, the sensitivity to rewards it causes can elevate the need for the frequent stimulation that social media provides, producing a dopamine release. This dependency can lead to a neural circuitry akin to those observed in gambling or substance addictions.

Strategies to overcome social media addiction:

(1) Engage in more meaningful activities. Instead of reaching for your phone to inevitably waste time doom scrolling on social media for hours, try participating in a different activity-one that will lessen your stress and give your mind a respite. Go on a 10 minute walk outside (this will boost your mood and energy), turn on a podcast, or reflect on your thoughts and feelings in a journal. Practice spending your time on activities that will help you rather than hurt you.

(2) Remove the distraction. Put your phone in a different room or someplace that is not accessible by an armsreach. Do whatever it takes to make it less easy and more difficult to check social media. This applies to phone addiction as well. The phrase "out of sight, out of mind" truly works.

(3) Set boundaries. Whether it be creating a time limit for your social media apps or simply giving yourself a certain amount of time to look at social media, setting limits to your social media usage will help reduce the endless hours of scrolling.

(4) Go on a digital detox. Turn off your social media notifications, take frequent breaks from technology, and delete harmful, unnecessary, or time-consuming apps (ex: social media platforms). A digital detox can allow you to detach from social media addiction and decrease your screen time. This will help you to establish a healthier relationship with your phone.

(5) Prioritize in-person socializing. Spend time with your family and friends. Go to new places and meet new people. These genuine connections are our foundations for emotional, mental, and physical health and well-being. They are fulfilling in a way that social media simply cannot be.

Final Thoughts

In an increasingly technologically-dependent world, social media becomes more and more prevalent throughout daily life. However, constant social media usage proves to have detrimental consequences on adolescent brain development, the integrity of brain structures, cognitive abilities, and mental health. Social media addiction exists, and it is heavily linked to neuroscientific and psychological problems. Taking an important step to improving your mental health requires much-needed attention towards the widely dismissed harm of social media.

Lauren Lee is a high school junior fascinated with neuroscience and creative expression. She founded Brain Behind Behavior to explore the neuroscience behind mental health challenges facing teens today.