Stop Scrolling on Insta and Losing Brain Cells — Read Instead
The Orange Journal features
Do you ever fall victim to scrolling on social media just to fill in the in-between moments of boredom or procrastination? And then you realize you have been exposing your brain to nothing particularly helpful for the past thirty minutes to an hour? We all have. It’s just the way life is nowadays. Don’t get down on yourself. Get better.
Social media addiction is a real, relevant issue in today’s day and age, and no age bracket is exempt from such an unfortunate epidemic. Did you know that approximately six new Facebook profiles are created every second?
Pick your poison — they’re all the same. Engineers, developers, and algorithms alike are getting smarter by the day. They know how to keep us watching, liking, scrolling, and clicking for longer. But you can fight it. We all can. Start by deciding to read instead.
The Comfort of a Cell Phone
I remember a time when I was so addicted to my phone that just the feeling of holding it in my hands brought me a sense of comfort. Does that sound delusional or what?
Sources indicate that the percentage of people that feel “somewhat addicted” to any social media is at a staggering 40% among those in the age 8–22 bracket. Yes, eight years old! WTF? Then it falls to 32% for people ages 23 to 38. According to truelist.com, some social media websites report teenagers spending upwards of 9 hours per day across different platforms. This can be related to higher rates of depression, relationship issues, car accidents, fear of missing out or “FOMO”, disturbances in sleep patterns, and low self-esteem with severe cases correlated with suicide.
How Can We Lessen the Burden of Social Media?
Simple — read more. No, I don’t mean Instagram captions, Reddit threads, Livestream conversations, or Youtube comments from 2012. Really read. Read on Medium, read anywhere. Read content of substance. It doesn’t have to be a physical book. I think it’s safe to say we are all accustomed to more screen time each day than we have ever been through history.
So today, maybe you will decide to opt for Medium instead of Twitter during moment of in-between time or silence. And maybe it will be more fulfilling, emotionally regulating, and intellectually stimulating than an all-consuming brain-zapping social platform.
Check out some highlights from the week of January 3rd for The Orange Journal. TOJ shoutouts, delayed yes because of my Covid, in no particular order. I promise you will feel more fulfilled taking the time to read these stories than you will after spending 30 minutes mindlessly scrolling through the abyss of social media.
The Orange Journal features week of January 3rd 🍊
Written by Sam Ochstein: When we wrestle with the best way to follow God’s plan for us, we may be losing a part of us along the way, fearful of pursuing our passions or deepest desires. Will we mess up the plan of the divine? Have you ever considered that we as individuals are the ones responsible for shaping our life, its purpose, and its meaning?
Written by E. Katherine Kottaras: Every Monday, Katherine engages with a virtual meditation group that has led her to experience deep connections with others. She remembers how to cope with societal expectations of how we are told to look, and she is able to laugh off the judgment she cast on herself. A solid read, especially for those struggling with body image.
Written by Katerina Zitta: We all love those things, places, and people that grant us that warm fuzzy feeling that gives life meaning. In Japanese, there is actually a term for it, coined “Natsukashii”. A lighthearted and enjoyable read, learn more about words in Japanese that encapsulate such incredible feelings.
Written by Selin Oğuz: Selin provides realistic and useful tactics to transform your anxiety into something productive and helpful. Being able to take charge of your mind can be a daunting task, and slowing down to focus may be just what you need at times.
Written by Lya CG: As time passes, we tend not to notice small fluctuations in our day-to-day. It is only a year later that we realize how we have transformed as individuals. But it doesn’t need to be like that. Each day, with each moment we live, we are changing. It could be small things that become compounded into bigger, transformational experiences.
Thanks for being here and stay tuned for more weekly shoutouts. Let me know in the comments what your favorite story from the features was this week. Be sure to connect with other writers, clap, and comment to help The Orange Journal grow. Remember, just keep writing!