Are you an addict? Do you crave nicotine, alcohol, or meth? No? Me neither. What about sugar, an adrenaline rush, or porn? Perhaps not.
What about a “like” on Facebook or Instagram?
Now we’re hitting a little closer to home. And if that’s the case for you, this is one of the signs you are addicted to social media.
Hi, I’m Lauren Thell, author of Christian YA fiction and blogger for teens who are ready to exceed the world’s expectations.
In This Article
The Dark Side of Social Media
It’s under a heading like this that some will lay out a bunch of facts about social media’s contribution to cyberbullying and human trafficking. Those are very real threats, but I don’t want to stop there. The dark side of social media isn’t simply in what happens there, but how deeply embedded it has become in your life to the point these problems are even allowed to occur.
Ever paused to consider the size of this invader? It’s everywhere, and it knows your hobbies, your face, where you live, who you’re friends with, your very thoughts. It draws the information right from your fingertips and shares it with the world—all with your full compliance.
A Chilling Parallel: Psalm 139
Psalm 139 is a beautiful verbalization of God’s ability to examine the heart and know your comings and goings at any given moment. I’ve always found it comforting. But see what happens when you switch a few words:
“You have searched me, SOCIAL MEDIA, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, IT’S ON MY KEYBOARD AND POSTED ON MY HOMEPAGE. YOU’RE behind me and before me, and you lay your CONTROLLING hand upon me…
Where can I go from your INFLUENCE? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to MY BEDROOM, you are there; if I GO DOWN TO THE KITCHEN, you are there. If I rise EARLY IN THE MORNING AND GO OUT BEFORE EVERYONE ELSE, if I HIDE IN THE CLOSET OR HANG OUT IN THE CAFETERIA, even there your PRESENCE will CONTROL me, your INFLUENCE will hold me PRISONER. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness CANNOT BLOCK you…”
What does it say that I can take these words and make them apply to social media with only a few changes? I find it creepy. Social media is everywhere. It’s powerful, and it has a way of making you bow to its influence and addictive qualities.
It’s either idolatry or slavery, and both are dangerous for the Christian teen or young adult.
Recognize the Problem
Most people who use social media would never admit they’re addicted to it. What’s wrong with seeing what your friends are up to once in a while? But while “once in a while” might be fine, most social media users don’t just go on “once in a while.”
Some, in fact, never get off.
Most social media users don’t just go on “once in a while.” Some never get off.
Their notification alarm is set to ping for every single like or new post that comes up, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And the rest of us aren’t far behind. As soon as we get off work or school, we grab our phones to see what we’ve missed during the day.
Still not convinced? Look at it this way: How long can you go without checking your Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc. accounts? Now how long can you go without reading your Bible?
Um…
Social media is a useful tool in our culture, but when it becomes the driving influence in your life, it’s time to step off the train.
8 Signs You Are Addicted to Social Media:
- You feel anxious, depressed, or irritable if you haven’t been on social media in a while. (The same thing happens to a smoker who hasn’t had a cigarette in a while.)
- You feel anxious, depressed, or irritable as soon as you get off social media.
- You take pictures solely based on what your social media friends will think when you post them.
- The pinging of the notification alarm on your device means you must drop everything else and see who “
“liked” your post. - You consider a post to be a failure if it hasn’t received a set quota of likes.
- You’re struggling with envy over one or more of your social media friends.
- You’re stuck in the comparison trap.
- You feel the need to share every time you move, eat, breathe, etc.
You don’t need to exhibit all eight signs in order to assume social media addiction. In fact, if any one of these apply, that is the mark of an addiction.
So what should you do?
3 Steps to Help You Break Free From Social Media Addiction
1) Go Cold Turkey
It’s time for a break. I dare you to go on a complete social media fast for AT LEAST two whole weeks (though a month or longer would be more effective.) That’s right, for 14 whole 24-hour periods, you’re not going to log on—not even for a peek—and you’ll turn off your notification alarm.
I think you’ll be surprised to find that you won’t die, the world keeps turning, and you feel more peace.
2) Set Boundaries
Once you’ve broken the hold, you can try to go back—but with boundaries. Some starters for you:
- Ditch the notification alarm permanently.
- Choose a set amount of time you will spend on social media each day. Set a timer, and don’t exceed it.
- Create a few No-Device zones for yourself. Your bedroom and the dinner table are good places to start.
- Cut back on posting. Think about all the things you want to post in the next few days. Now choose one out of every five and leave out the other four (or even one out of every 10 if it’s that bad).
- Follow these eight simple guidelines for posting on social media
Follow these rules and not only will you have reached a healthier balance, but you should have a lot more free time!
3) Ditch it Completely
Maybe it’s time to pull the plug altogether. Believe it or not, even in our advanced world where it feels like everything has gone virtual, it is possible to live without social media…forever. I’ve read stories about people who have deleted their social media accounts, and not a single one of them regretted it. (Read a few of their stories in this article from Aleteia.)
Break free from social media addiction, destroy the idol, and put your focus where it belongs: Jesus. Jesus is the only addiction that will leave you feeling better and better each time you meet with him!
More About Christian Teens and Social Media
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but, hey, why not?
Bring me your questions about faith, life, God, the Bible… and I’ll help you find the answers.