In the Trap of Dopamine. Why Does Social Media Make Us Addicted?

FOMO in the digital world

Every year, Datareportal.com publishes a global report on the “digital world”, in which it presents information on, among others, the use of social media by Internet users. According to the “Digital 2024” report, last year there were 97 million more Internet users in the world, which means that the Internet is now used by over 66% of the world’s population [1]. Interestingly, as many as 266 million new users appeared on social media at the same time. In Poland, social media are used by 24.8 million adult users (75% of the total adult population).

Why do we use the Internet and social media? For over 61% of respondents, the reason for being online is to search for information. Keeping in touch with friends and family comes second (this aspect was indicated by 56.6% of respondents). Younger generations are the ones who spend the most time on the Internet. The older the user, the less available they are online.

The data from the “Digital 2024” report is worth comparing with observations of the authors of the report on the phenomenon of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), i.e. the fear that others may experience important online events in which we do not participate [2]. FOMO is most often experienced by people aged 15-19 (as much as 94% at medium or high levels). The fear of missing out on something is strongly related to being on social media. As the authors of the report note: “Research has shown that people with high FOMO levels often weave time browsing social media into other activities, i.e. they not only start and end the day with it, but also eat while using smartphones (...). For many, browsing social media is becoming part of their daily routine, involving a need to satisfy information thirst, resulting – as we assume – from the fear of missing out / being disconnected” [3].

Social media and dopamine – what do “likes” have to do with a reward?

Social media addiction can be compared to other forms of addiction, such as gambling. They all have a common denominator – they activate the reward system in our brain, which is responsible for the motivation to repeat behaviours that provide us with pleasure. In the case of social media, the reward is primarily positive social reinforcement – “likes”, comments, shares, as well as interactions with other users. It is these stimuli that make us return to the application to provide ourselves with another dose of satisfaction.

The key element is dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in processes related to motivation and reward. When we expect something to be beneficial or pleasurable, dopamine levels in the brain increase, which motivates us to take action to receive a reward. However, this mechanism also has its other side. As neurobiologist Joanna Wojsiat, PhD, notes, “frequent secretion of dopamine under the influence of a substance, some stimulus or action, causes the body to start getting used to this signal, begins to treat it as a normal state, and perceives any drop in the dopamine peak as losing balance” [4].

In the context of social media, each new notification, like or comment can trigger a slight increase in dopamine levels. This makes us want to come back to the app to see if there is another reward waiting for us. This effect is compounded by the fact that rewards are irregular and unpredictable – we don’t know when we will get a new like, which makes us more likely to check apps frequently.

Mechanisms used by social media creators

The creators of social media are well aware of the mechanisms that affect our behaviour. Social media platforms are therefore designed in such a way as to engage us as much as possible. And how exactly?

1. Notification system – irregular notifications make us more likely to look at our profiles. Unpredictability is key – we never know when a new like or comment will appear, and this increases our curiosity.
2. Infinite scrolling – platforms like Instagram offer an endless stream of content, which makes it difficult to stop browsing. You can compare them to gambling – we never know what will come next and we often spend much more time on the platform than we planned.
3. Artificial intelligence and content personalisation – algorithms that personalise content adapt the displayed materials to our preferences. So we always get something that may interest us, and this increases our satisfaction with using a given application and fuels the addiction mechanism.
4. Elements of gamification – many platforms introduce game elements, such as rankings, badges or counters, which make us want to achieve new goals and become more and more engaged.

How to deal with social media addiction?

To counteract social media addiction, it is worth making some changes in your daily life. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Set time limits

Determine how much time you want to spend on social media per day. “Just keeping track of how much time we spend using a smartphone is one of the ways to increase self-awareness and, consequently, reduce phone use,” writes Anna Lembke in her book “Dopamine Slaves”. “When we consciously record objective facts, such as the amount of time we spend on something, we find it harder to deny them, which puts us in a better position to take action,” she emphasises [5]. Applications that block access to social media at certain times can also help you set a time limit.

2. Do a “digital detox” and practice mindfulness

Regular breaks during which you give up browsing your phone can also help to effectively wean yourself off social media. A good time to carry out a “digital detox” can be, for example, a holiday trip, in connection with which you delete social media apps from your smartphone. Thanks to this, you will remember your holiday better and experience it “here and now”, without social “distractions”.

3. Use social media consciously

Try to use social media consciously. Avoid scrolling through content that is not interesting to you or causes a surge of negative emotions (so called doomscrolling). If you are a parent, pay attention to whether and in what context you present your child online. The phenomenon of so-called sharenting – a combination of the English words “share” and “parenting” – is becoming increasingly common. According to the “Sharenting in Poland” report, 40% of parents document their children’s growing up on social media [6]. This practice can have a number of consequences, such as a threat to a child’s privacy, cyberbullying or loss of control over online identity.

4. Seek psychological support

If you feel that social media addiction is negatively affecting your life, it is worth considering seeking the support of a professional who will help you find appropriate coping strategies. You can also have such a consultation in the comfort of your home by connecting with an online psychologist. As part of the MultiLife platform, an hour-long consultation is available to you, during which you will discuss your situation with a specialist in comfortable conditions and decide on the next steps. You will get access to the MultiLife platform through your employer.

_References:

_{[1]https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-global-overview-report} 

_{[2] https://fomo.wdib.uw.edu.pl/2023/01/24/fomo-2022-polacy-a-lek-przed-odlaczeniem-raport-z-iv-edycji-badan/}

_{[3] Raport „Fomo 2022. Polacy a lęk przed odłączeniem”, red. Anna Jupowicz-Ginalska, Warszawa 2022, s. 44.}

_{[4] Asia Podgórska, „Tak działa mózg. Jak mądrze dbać o jego funkcjonowanie”, Warszawa, 2023, s. 132.}

_{[5] Anna Lembke, tłum. Grażyna Chamielec, „Niewolnicy dopaminy”, Poznań, 2023.}

_{[6]https://cluepr.pl/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Sharenting-czyli-dzieci-w-sieci-pierwszy-raport-w-Polsce.pdf}