My name is Jakki and I am a drug addict. When we think of someone having a drug addiction, we automatically think of crack, cocaine, heroin, or meth, but millions of us are currently addicted to a kind of drug and don’t even think about it because we don’t have to find a dealer in some dark alley to give you the hookup. It’s readily available right within your own chemistry and to get a hit you need only turn on your phone, tablet, or PC. The drug I speak of is Dopamine. Yes, as a society, we are collectively hopped up on the stuff and it’s controlling our lives!
Dopamine is the chemical that is released in the reward center of the brain and is triggered by the things that make us feel good. It reinforces our behavior so that we seek the high dopamine provides time and time again. And what is this elusive trigger that has us all doped up? For many of us, it is running after the powerful, yet fleeting, pleasure found in the thrill of a new notification. Social media is brilliantly designed to get us hooked, and like a flashing slot machine in a big fancy casino, it’s programmed to keep you engaged until you’ve run out of currency…emotional currency, that is.
Do you feel the buzz? Not from an alcoholic drink, but the one in your pocket. The one calling for you to drop whatever you are doing, to interrupt your conversation with a loved one, to find out who else wants your attention. It’s just too irresistible, even though chances are, it won’t live up to the satisfaction it promised. In fact, you’ll probably find it’s just spam or some worthless update to let you know that you missed a message in a group from someone you don’t even know. But you won’t likely resist the pull that’s calling your name like a siren at sea waiting to dash your hopes upon the rocks. There is another name for this — FOMO (aka the Fear Of Missing Out) — and we are slaves to our need to be in the know.
Even as I write this, I find my concentration broken and that my mind is wandering to check this or that. Who wants to work on a tedious task when immediate, though hollow, gratification is flashing on our screen, promising the sun, moon, and stars like a late-night infomercial host screaming, “But wait, there’s more!” All the while it’s nothing more than the Pied Piper come to steal our dreams away like foolish children.
Because whether we want to admit it or not, our dopamine response is keeping many of us from fulfilling our dreams to their greatest extent. Instead of focusing on developing our skills or completing that ambitious project we started, we too easily find ourselves sitting on the sofa scrolling endlessly through a stream of information we can’t possibly process — friend’s photos, funny memes, a sad story about a rescued cat, and of course, all the salacious news of the day — and we’ll probably forget what we were looking at 5 minutes ago before we are onto the next hit.
I really got a good look at how entangled my life is in social media when my Facebook account was hacked a month ago and suspended. Even my alternate account was tracked and restricted from allowing me to post or comment. How detached from this secondary society, I felt. Yet, in some ways, it was a forced kind of freedom from it. I’m not going to pretend it was easy though. The inclination to check in with my social media connections runs deeper than I ever imagined. Facebook’s hold on many facets of my life is quite terrifying. It holds the keys to my personal interactions, of course, but also to my news sources, business practices, and even my memories. Like that, they can lock the door and throw away the key!
So, what’s the solution to breaking the habit? Quitting cold turkey may be the most effective option, but if you’re one of the fortunate few who never got started on feeding this addiction you don’t have to worry about quitting. Or maybe you too can be lucky enough to be hacked and suspended. Because even when I felt like a penniless person on the street peering through the window of a restaurant where people are feasting, I enjoyed the benefits of a forced hiatus. In fact, not only did my mind get a rest, but I was downright productive!
In lieu of a Facebook break, I was able to do some reading, writing, recording, learning new equipment and software, and working on some neglected aspects of my business. I was even able to network with people outside of my Facebook feed and engage in some real, thoughtful conversation. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely went through withdrawal, but instead of tail spinning into depression over it, I tried to look on the bright side and did some things during my time away that I most certainly would not have accomplished had I continued with the status quo.
My original account has yet to be fully restored, but restrictions were recently lifted on my alternate account so there’s no telling whether or not I will fall back into bad habits. If I’m being honest, I suspect I may, unless I am proactive in avoiding some of the pitfalls I succumbed to in the past. For instance, perhaps I shouldn’t follow so many pages and news sites that feed my addiction. Isn’t connecting with loved ones the real reason most of us got on social media to begin with? Even socializing can become too big a priority as we work overtime to impress others and keeps tabs on their personal activities. Perhaps it’s time to get a life — a REAL life!
It’s springtime, you know? And with the warmer weather, now is a good opportunity to take a break from the spinning machine and find inspiration in the fresh fragrant air and enjoy the benefits of real face-to-face connection. Just imagine what you could accomplish with all that extra free time. Do it while the motivation has gripped your heart! Because sadly, if you’re a junkie, you probably won’t even remember this article by tomorrow…unless you’re like me and something is screaming on the inside telling you there is more to life than *buzz* gotta go…
Jakki Jelene is a lover of literature and the sea. Whether cozying up with a classic novel or a book of poetry, immersive storytelling has inspired her to express her thoughts in writing for most of her life. Jakki currently resides in beautiful West Michigan with her husband and furry companions.
