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Sometimes I just need a break.
Abbey Lossing
At least a week to recharge and reset.
Deep clean my space.
I really just wanna be quiet and still for like a week.
Social media has become an inescapable part of our lives.
Recent polls say 72% of Americans use at least one social media platform.
For adults ages 18 to 29, that number jumps to around 84%.
Estimates for teens hover around 90%.
And weve all felt the surge of serotonin a simple like can produce.
But just how harmful social media can beand what to do about itis a matter of hot debate.
The case for social medias awfulness is rooted in the research.
And this problem isnt limited to teens.
The difference is that those magazines werent in peoples hands 24/7, she says.
This has much to do with the insidious design of social medias stickiness.
For marginalized communities, social media can have uniquely distressing effects.
Luckey recalls being in that exact predicament.
It was really hard and really heavy, she recalls.
It doesnt stop just because were out of the vortex [of social media], Dr. Butler says.
We continue to experience this daily.
The psychological risks associated with social media also depend on how we engage with it.
Just look at fleeting, viral trends like themy therapist told mehashtag on TikTok.
Thats why Dr. Primack says social media isthedouble-edged sword of our time.
For him, the question becomes: How do we sharpen all the positives while dulling the possible negatives?
instead of Oh, theyre obnoxiously loaded!).
How much negativity are you willing to take?
The answers to these questions should guide how you plan to engage with your feeds.
(No, noteveryex is a narcissist and noteveryoneis gaslighting you, says Dr. ## Is the idea of social media self-care enough?
Dr. Primack says that particular campaign helped pit parents and their children against each other.
In any capacity, social media is undeniably here to stay for the foreseeable future.
Thats what ultimately happened for Luckey.
Its an escape and an outlet, she says of social media.
But there are healthier outlets.
