The battle with addiction to substances pervades the entire history of modern civilization. Alcoholism for example, is a household name for what countless people struggle from. Now that there is a (relatively) new technology that can spike dopamine levels, the mental health community appears behind technologies rapid growth. Before one loses control with addiction there is a segment of control that precedes it. Sometimes the control can sustain itself and an escalating addiction never arises.
However to even attempt control in the first place you must be aware of the compulsion to use a drug. In the case of a small device with an internet connection and a display screen, a dismissive attitude can let the compulsion go unchecked. It’s ubiquitous and seen as more of an addictive nuisance than a serious issue. If the use of this technology begins to interfere in someones wellbeing they might want to try to reduce their time spent on devices. Once the struggle begins they are now engaged in battling what’s referred to as “social media self control-failure”(Jie Du 2021). Its a term used in a study to determine if mindfulness can combat the loss of control.
The study concluded that to begin with, individuals suffering from self control failure often have a lower baseline of mindfulness to begin with. The constant state of low-end fight or flight has left them with weaker executive control. They are less aware of their own mental state and are lost in posts, comments and concerns with whatever is on their screen.
This in turn affects someones time spent doing important tasks due to the amount of time spent on social media. The effects of this lead to guilt and an overall worsening of wellbeing and mental health. (Jie Du 2021)
As stated by Rheingold “A significant part of the population has not yet learned to decide when it is appropriate to share multiple lines of attention and when single focal point is necessary”
We cannot simply use the internet in a linear way due to its stimulation. The mind is left to wander as randomly as all the links and ads are chaotically bombarding the browser. Perhaps coupling the amount of internet usage with an equal amount of mindfulness training and meditation can lead to a healthier group of future internet users.
Another study focusing on this sort of training found that it not only helped with logical coping skills. It also lessened emotional and avoidant coping skills. Messer (2015)
The reciprocal relationships between social media self-control failure, mindfulness and wellbeing: A longitudinal study Jie Du ,Peter Kerkhof, Published: August 4, 2021
The Effects of Internet-Delivered Mindfulness Training on Stress, Coping, and Mindfulness in University Students, David Messer, December 30, 2015
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