Power on.
Enter password.
xxxx
Open Facebook app.
Check notifications.
3 new friend requests. Click accept.
3 new friend requests. Click accept.
Type a status update:
“#Jgh hayyyyy so tired
:3”
Click post.
Browse news feed.
Click like. Share.
Like. Like. Share.
Scroll down, scroll
down
Down
Down
Down
.
.
.
.
.
ERROR!
YES NO
Smartphone is one of the daily essentials these days. At least for the netizens, they can’t live without using it. During leisure time (or
even not) as long as there is available Wi-Fi connection or mobile data, the
next thing to do is to open the social networking sites (SNS) such as Facebook, Twitter, Instragram, Snapchat,
etc. Open the app, check notifications, click like, share some posts, comment with emoticons, and skim through news articles (optional), etc. For some young adults who are into SNS, this
is their daily routine. According to Go Globe, users between the ages 15 to 19 spend at least 3 hours a day on average
on social media.
How many times in a day do you see someone (or even yourself) glued
on phones swiping, tapping away, scrolling up or down? Ironically, an ‘active user’ turns into ‘over-user’,
possibly getting addicted to social media. A
TV behavior expert, Judy James, describes
it as "being unable to stop using it even when you want to." For young netizens who fits in this
description, they could be without a doubt diagnosed with scroll down syndrome.
What are the signs and symptoms?
Lack of sleep
Young netizens never mind insomniac as long as they tinker their phones. This
distort their sleeping habit making them zombie-like creatures the next
morning. They would rather sit up or stay on bed most of the night rather than
getting a rest just to check their social media accounts, do a little bit of
stalking, and whatnot's.
Anxiety
Dr. Joanne
Stephenson, a professor of psychology, says “someone
over-using social media might also suffer from increased levels of anxiety.” There’s a need to check emails,
tweets, Facebook, VERY frequently, many times a day or even many times an hour.
They could also make getting online their main priority, doing it first thing
in the morning, during school time, and as soon as they get home after school.
‘Lonely in the crowd’
The more they get connected to the
virtual world, the lesser they get along with people in real life particularly
their parents, relatives, or even friends. Judy James explains that”this is a
new for of loneliness where people have lots of online ‘friends’ rather than
the real thing.” Real human relationships are far more important for our
well-being she contends.
(image taken from http://images.onlymyhealth.com/imported/images/2014/August/08_Aug_2014/taknik-aur-social-media-ke-aadi-650x433.jpg)
Privacy problems
Teens find social media a
venue for all their feelings, thoughts, rants, angst, and so on. But what more
alarming is the too much information about themselves that they don’t care
posting on these platforms. Apparently, they become prone to online predators
and become victims of cyber-bullying, shaming, harassment, and so on.
We might be
able to cure this illness, just follow the prescriptions below:
#1 Get out of your room, try to see the world in a
different way. Discover new
places, walk on different roads, you never know who you might bump into the
streets. An old friend? A stranger that could be your new friend? Or that someone….. who knows? Try to get
out right now and take the challenge.
#2 Health is wealth. 8 hours of sleep is still the ideal and best way to take care of your
body. Also, if you have time you could also visit an optometrist; have your
eyes checked – a clear eye vision is better than having four eyes.
#3 Time management. We know you’ve probably
heard this phrase over and over again but if you would be able to manage your
time between studying and using your social media accounts… then there may be
the possibility of you having the leisure of time to browse as well as passing
your classes with flying colors.
#4 No phone on dinner time! Since we use
our time mostly at work or at schools then we only have dinner time to spend
with our family. We suggest that phones should be confiscated during dinner
time, this does not just improve table manners but also the qaulity of good
relationships between family members.
#5 Do other extracurricular activities. If you still can’t stop yourself from using your
smartphone, try to visit reading websites such as goodreads, kindle or download
ebooks. Since you love reading might as well read classical novels and YA
novels that would easily get your attention. There are also different websites
that would help you exercise your brain more try brainpickings I dare you.
Social media addiction, just
like any other addiction, is not easy to be cured. However, if we try to
minimize it by following the tips above, we can live our lives healthier and
happier again. Make use of the time well and do more productive things. While
technology makes things easier for us, we should find it useful for specific
things only to avoid getting so hooked with it. Nothing is more precious than a
sound sleep, safety, and happy relationships and self. #
*social media addiction
where an individual cannot refrain from using social networking sites and the
like
Writers:
Ballesteros, Cielo Faye
Caubat, Joyce D.
Furagganan, Joanah Mae
Pantoja, Lalaine
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