Why do we get addicted to social media?



A recent report from Cybercrew revealed how UK residents spend an average of 110 minutes per day on social media. Many of us start scrolling before we've even got out of bed in the morning, in an almost automatic way.



Why do we end up scrolling on TikTok and Instagram for hours on end?



Because social media can have a similar effect on the brain to certain addictive substances, according to Healthline.com, they stimulate the brain's reward system. When you log into your favourite social media platform, you get a burst of dopamine, a chemical that makes you feel good and motivates you to seek more of the same stimulus.



Social media also provides a constant source of social validation, such as likes, comments and shares, that boost your self-esteem and reinforce your behaviour. Additionally, social media can create a fear of missing out, known as FOMO, which can lead to compulsive checking and scrolling, as well as anxiety and stress.



How does it work in concrete terms?



When we do something that helps us meet our needs, like eating or having sex for example, our brain releases dopamine. It's one of our happy hormones, a neurotransmitter linked with pleasure and satisfaction. Dopamine reinforces our survival behaviours and helps us adapt to our environment. And it's relevant when considering social media addiction too.



Each time we watch a video or get a like, our brain releases a small amount of dopamine, which makes us want to keep going back for more. The unpredictable nature leads to anticipation and excitement. No doubt at some stage you've wondered, how many likes do I have on my last post? Or, what's this latest notification about?



The thing is, dopamine is not designed to make us happy or satisfied. It only gives us a temporary boost of pleasure that fades quickly, and then it makes us crave more. Experts have compared the feelings to those experienced when playing casino slot machines. Both use sounds, colors, animations and other stimuli to create an immersive and engaging experience that captivates our attention and distracts us from reality.



Is it fair to say that social networks were designed to be addictive then?



Maybe not only for that purpose, but at least to some extent. The techniques and features used on social media platforms exploit the brain's reward system.



Of course, it's in the interest of social media platforms to make their product addictive, because it leads to increased advertising revenue. The more time users spend on social media, the more ads they see, and the more data they generate. That means more profit for the platforms, and more influence for their owners.



To avoid falling into the trap, you need to schedule some time off from social media so that you can give your brain a break and maybe even allow yourself to get bored. There you have it.



词汇表

get addicted to [əˈdɪktɪd] 沉迷于，对…上瘾

scroll [skrəʊl] （在电子屏幕上）滚动，滑动浏览，刷

automatic [ˌɔːtəˈmætɪk] 自动的，无意识的，下意识的

addictive substances [əˈdɪktɪv səbˈstænsɪz] 成瘾物质，致瘾物

stimulate [ˈstɪmjuleɪt] 刺激，激励

reward system 奖励系统（大脑中负责产生愉悦感并强化行为的神经机制）

get a burst of [bɜːst] 突然获得一阵，爆发，释放

dopamine [ˈdəʊpəmiːn] 多巴胺（一种神经递质，与愉悦感和动机相关）

stimulus [ˈstɪmjələs] 刺激物，刺激因素

social validation [ˌvælɪˈdeɪʃn] 社会认可，社交认同

self-esteem [ˌself ɪˈstiːm] 自尊，自尊心

reinforce [ˌriːɪnˈfɔːs] 强化，加强

fear of missing out (FOMO) 错失恐惧症（担心错过社交活动、信息等的焦虑感）

compulsive [kəmˈpʌlsɪv] 强迫性的，难以控制的

in concrete terms [ˈkɒŋkriːt] 具体来说，具体而言

happy hormones [ˈhɔːməʊnz] 快乐激素（指能让人产生愉悦感的激素，如多巴胺、血清素，催产素，内啡肽）

neurotransmitter [ˌnjʊərəʊtrænsˈmɪtə(r)] 神经递质（大脑中传递神经信号的化学物质）

unpredictable [ˌʌnprɪˈdɪktəbl] 不可预测的，难以预料的

anticipation [ænˌtɪsɪˈpeɪʃn] 期待，预期

notification [ˌnəʊtɪfɪˈkeɪʃn] （社交媒体更新的）通知消息

be designed to 旨在，目的是，被设计用来

temporary boost of pleasure 短暂的愉悦感提升，一时的快感

casino [kəˈsiːnəʊ ] 赌场，娱乐场

slot machine [slɒt] 老虎机（一种赌博机器，通过随机结果吸引玩家）

animation [ˌænɪˈmeɪʃn] 动画，动画片

immersive [ɪˈmɜːsɪv] 沉浸式的，身临其境的

engaging [ɪnˈɡeɪdʒɪŋ] 引人入胜的，吸引人的

captivate [ˈkæptɪveɪt] 迷住，使着迷，吸引

exploit [ɪkˈsplɔɪt] 利用，开发

advertising revenue [ˈædvətaɪzɪŋ ˈrevənjuː] 广告收入（平台通过投放广告获得的收益）



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