By Ty Tkacik & Alex Wiersberg
As aspiring communications professionals, one of the most important tools we have to work with is social media platforms. The rise of platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and countless more have changed almost everything about the media landscape over the last 20 years. Especially for the next generation of PR practitioners and advertisers, familiarity with social media and how to utilize it effectively is incredibly important. However, as important as it is to know how to use these platforms, we see time and time again that there are some negative effects associated with too much social media usage. So, especially in a career path that is constantly trying to find the best way to utilize these platforms, it’s important to understand how social media impacts our lives and what we can do to find a balance between life and the online world.
Gen Z and Social Media
Gen Z will be the first generation of people who have been raised with widespread access to not just the internet, but social media specifically. Although millennials had exposure to the internet, it wasn’t until the early 2000s that social media began to take shape into what we know it today. Nowadays, the world is more interconnected than it has ever been before because of social media. A young person can learn all about different parts of the world and its different cultures with just the press of a few buttons. Social media’s explosion into becoming more mainstream has led to a whole different world. Now, not only do people have the ability to meet people, follow news, and consume entertainment from all over the world, but they are able to have real relationships and gain a small glimpse into the lives of the people around them purely through a computer or phone. When you start to look under the surface, however, the cracks begin to show.
The Negative Effects of Social Media
While social media has a number of notable benefits to society, its negative effects have become more and more well-known as time goes on, and they are something to take very seriously. The negative effects of social media are manifold and include things such as body dysmorphia, depression, anxiety, and isolation. Social media apps are designed to keep your attention and to keep you endlessly scrolling looking for your next dopamine release. So in a way, a lot of people can become addicted to social media by relying on it for happiness and to feel good. Other times people replace real-life interaction with purely online interactions, which is unhealthy given the fact that, among other things, real-life interaction is strongly linked to having a happier, and healthier life.
There are numerous ways in which social media can lead to psychological cravings. Receiving likes, comments, shares, or just seeing something you like or something that corroborates your opinion are all things that make you feel fulfilled. They are all things that make your brain light up and make you want to be on your phone more. When this happens, numerous negative effects, like the ones mentioned before, can take place, oftentimes without you even knowing. So, just keep in mind when using social media that it can sometimes be a slippery slope when trying to maintain your mental and physical health. Thankfully, there are healthy ways to manage your social media usage as well as mitigate the negative effects of social media.
Disconnecting with a “Dopamine Detox”
One of the most helpful things to do if you want to minimize the negative effects of social media, or just control your usage in general, is to take a “dopamine detox”. A dopamine detox is a general term that can be applied to a wide variety of things, but what it means is essentially taking a break from activities that provide a quick dopamine release but might not necessarily be the healthiest for you. These include video games, caffeine, and sugar among other things. The goal of this is to reset your brain’s reward system to take more pleasure from activities or things you might not have taken as much pleasure from before. For example, you might find it difficult to sit and read a book because you don’t get as much satisfaction from it as watching TikTok all the time. Ideally, by using a dopamine detox, someone would take a break from TikTok for a while and focus on reading until it becomes just as fun as TikTok.
Dopamine detoxes can last however long or short you want them to. You could do a detox for a week, or even a few months if you’re really up for a challenge. They also don’t have to be as strict as completely abstaining from whatever you’re detoxing from during that time. You could just be limiting things like social media or video games for a bit, not necessarily avoiding these activities completely. Though not always a fun process, taking a dopamine detox is an overall good exercise in self-control and an interesting experiment if you’re up for it!
Finding the Balance
So, as PR professionals, we need to utilize social media to be able to work with our clients and build their brands effectively. But how do we avoid all of the negative side effects that come from overuse? One of the biggest things that we need to focus on since we use social media professionally is having that defined work-life balance. Setting time limits for personal social media usage, having dedicated “off” days where you avoid social media as a mental health break, and even just going for a jog outside are just a few great ways to work on having a positive and balanced relationship with social media. It can be difficult to find this balance in the PR space since monitoring a client’s online reputation is one of the most important aspects of effective PR work. However, being able to disconnect and really just focus on the real world is crucial for your mental health. In addition, being able to track and notice how much you are using social media in your own free time will have a huge effect on how you use your time to enjoy more activities offline.
While social media platforms are a spectacular tool for marketing and public relations, It’s important to be aware of the effect its usage may be having on your mental health. Over time, social media can easily consume and cloud your thoughts. Being aware of these aspects of social media usage will allow you to not only avoid the negative effects but also be mindful of the positive effects that something like a dopamine detox from social media can have on you. By focusing on learning where your sweet spot is with social media and finding that balance, you can have a rewarding relationship with these platforms in your professional and personal life! The next time you’re lying down after a long day of class or work, pay attention and see how quickly your brain wants to just scroll Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook, and try and do something more fulfilling with your time!
Happy Valley Comm 