Instagram, TikTok and other apps are there for you in boring moments when you are waiting for the bus, you have nothing else to do etc. However, this type of connection may be closer to other people. Experts say that "scrolling", slipping on social networks with one post after another can affect our mood. The pandemic made people more aware of this effect because during quarantine, our screen time has increased.
How your brain affects movement through hours-long applications
At the basic level, social networks activate several areas of the brain at the same time. Dr. Clifford Segil, a neurologist, says it tends to "illuminate" the brain's visual processing areas as you interpret what you see, and the auditory pathways for sounds and music.
Staying on social media can also affect the way your brain regulates emotions, and you may have felt this intensely in 2020. "Many people [experienced] sadness, anxiety, frustration and boredom during their quarantine or social distancing efforts "says dr. Sanam Hafeez, a neuropsychologist, for Bustle. But social media can help (in the short term) get you through these sensations: The brain can respond by giving you a stimulus that matches the release of dopamine and serotonin in the body - neurotransmitters associated with mood swings.
However, there is a weakness in this movement!
Segil says social media tends to affect your limbic system, which handles emotional responses - good or bad. Stress seems to affect the limbic system in the long run. If you find yourself irritated, or upset by Instagram - this may be the reason.
Traveling the world through news sources seeking the latest updates can also be detrimental to your brain. By constantly watching, even unconsciously, news, photos, videos, etc. - you nurture the stress response in your body, bombarding it with negativity.
Një studim i botuar në vitin 2021 në Neuron gjeti një shpjegim (tjetër) pse nuk mund të ndaloni "scrolling" e pavetëdijshëm sapo filloni. Kur përballeni me zgjedhjen midis mësimit më shumë rreth lajmeve të këqija ose gjërave që nuk ju bëjnë të ndiheni mirë dhe thjesht të injoruarit e këtyre gjërave, pjesët e trurit tuaj që ju inkurajojnë të vazhdoni të "shihni" këto postime/lajme "ndriçohen". Edhe nëse informacioni i ri po ju bën të ndiheni keq, preferenca e trurit tuaj është të dini më shumë në vend që të fikni telefonin tuaj dhe të dilni jashtë.
That said, social networks also have the potential to be used for good. See how long you are standing in front of the screen and try to set yourself limits. Don’t become part of a vicious cycle where you spend the best part of the day coveting filtered photos, but remind yourself that real life is beyond any app!
Source: Bustle
