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    The Dark Reality of Social Media Addiction

    Written by: Saman Khalid
    Posted on: July 22, 2024 | | 中文

    Interconnected distance is an effect of social media

    A 5-minute study break turning into an hour-long scrolling session. A perpetual stream of swipe-ups and clicks with no end in sight. If that sounds familiar, you are likely stuck in the clutches of social media that seems to be eating up this generation. The psychology of social media addiction is a complex topic that needs to be understood by users at large. In this article, we will break down the effects of the hyper stimulation caused by social media platforms on the human mind.

    The Science of Addiction

    Certain activities activate the pleasure center of the brain, leading to the release of "feel-good" chemicals like dopamine, serotonin and endorphins. This natural mechanism is essential to ensuring mental well-being and emotional balance. However, overexposure to scintillating stimuli can radically increase the rate of production of such hormones. As a result, the brain's reward system undergoes major changes; it gets rewired to crave more of the same stimulus repeatedly. These constant urges can lead to overindulgence and compulsive behaviors, often at the expense of time better spent engaging in productive tasks. Over time, the nervous system develops a high tolerance limit; it requires increased doses of dopamine to achieve the same level of satisfaction. Social media is the perfect example to illustrate it in action. In fact, social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Facebook are especially curated to play into this innate psychology in order to keep people glued to their screens for as long as possible. The advanced algorithms analyze the user's viewing patterns and modifies the feed to appeal to the individual's greatest interests, emotions and desires. The endless scroll is occasionally rewarded by a "jackpot", which is basically just a piece of content that resonates with the viewer.

    Social media has invisible chains of addiction

    Shortened Attention Span

    Short form content like reels have completely upended the attention spans of the current generation. A vast majority of teens is so attuned to 5-10s videos that they find it hard to commit to a full-length movie, let alone higher-order tasks requiring cognitive thinking. Needless to say, this is an extremely concerning dilemma that doesn't seem to be taken seriously enough. It also extrapolates to the overall intellectual degeneration seen in daily social media trends, most of which are mindless and reductive.

    Time Blackhole

    The most immediate and guilt-inducing consequence of a crippling social media addiction is the massive wastage of time that results from it. It isn't uncommon for addicted individual to spend hours on end doing nothing but scrolling through thousands of reels. At a certain point, the activity stops being pleasurable, and instead turns into a dark rabbit hole that spirals totally out of control. As a result, daily life activities are affected to the point that victims start losing their grades, finances and even relationships.

    Insecurity and depression are the product of social media addiction

    Isolation, Insecurity and Depression

    Social media provides a safe bubble of pure entertainment cut off from real world issues. It gives an illusion of perfection and safety, thus isolating the users from reality. People addicted to social media often find it hard to form connections, approach people and navigate relationships. Instead, they prefer to form parasocial relationships with influencers and transient online personalities. Not only is this unnatural, but it is also borderline toxic. Young and impressionable minds compare their lives to the filtered realities being broadcast on Instagram. This causes them to feel insecure about their own circumstances, and over-idealize the unrealistic standards set by social media. In the long-run, such people develop mental health issues like anxiety and depression.

    Social media users create para social reality

    Group Think

    Social media is essentially a giant echo chamber where everyone seems to be feeding into the same mentality. Every other week, a new trend takes over the internet, thus eliciting an unlimited stream of content that is almost fully uniform. With so much white noise around, original thought seems like a foreign concept. Unique ideas and new concepts have turned into a rarity.

    Social media is the biggest echo chamber

    Is There a Solution?

    The key to breaking any addicted cycle is discipline. In this day and age, it is neither practical nor wise to completely cut oneself off from the world of social media. However, it is important to establish clear boundaries and abide by them. Here are a few tips and tricks to get rid of a paralyzing social media addiction:

    1. Set a Timer

    Most apps allow you to set a daily time limit. This feature helps you keep track of your social media usage and be mindful of the content you are consuming. It also saves you from hours upon hours of unproductive scrolling with no end in sight.

    2. Uninstall Apps

    If you feel that a certain app is adding no value to your life, it is a great idea to delete it altogether. By reducing the number of social media apps on our phone, your addictive tendencies will automatically decrease.

    Excessive use of social media results in disturbed sleep cycle

    3. Log Out

    Every time you are done using social media, log out of your account. This way, you can add friction to the compulsive act of quick scrolling. You can also try accessing the app on chrome, so as to reduce its appeal.

    In short, social media is a fantastic avenue bursting with opportunities for connection, fame and entertainment. However, it's destructive potential makes it a double-edged sword at times. The only reasonable course of action is to take control of your own attitude towards it. Instead of letting social media control your mind, you should seek to harness it to your advantage and lock it away when it's done.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021