We’ve heard about how people are affected by bullies and misleading information on the internet, but what many of us have not heard are about the shocking effects on your physical and mental brain. And the cause of this? – social media.
Your brain is made of neurons and neurotransmitter systems. A healthy brain consists of many connections throughout your body to control communication, memory, and everyday activities.
But a brain that is constantly scrolling on social media contracts. As a result, there are fewer passages of nerve fibers that cut off communication from the brain to the rest of your body.
Rising studies from many institutions such as the National Library of Medicine have shown that people utilizing social media disregard the warnings about the harmful effects on the body and brain.
Studies have found that the effort you put into constantly checking your social media platforms can actually shrink your brain. When I heard this information, I promised myself to never use social media again. But this is almost impossible to do! It is true that social media has beneficial factors, such as communication and keeping up with the rest of the world. However, the significant amount of social media that is used has drastic consequences for your brain. The fact that overuse of social media shrinks your brain creates a significant change that can alter your everyday life, including school performance, listening skills, and basic everyday activities.
For NeuroGrow, Majid Fotuhi, an author and lecturer at both Harvard and Johns Hopkins Medical School, said there is an exponential effect of social media as it constantly competes for your attention .“Heavy social media users become less able to ignore distraction in general. Not only does this lead to poorer cognitive performance, but it shrinks parts of the brain associated with maintaining attention. This ability of the brain to change is called neuroplasticity, and it has a big effect on your attention and cognitive function.” What if the reason why we sometimes get bad grades on tests is because of our shrinking brain?
Stress and anxiety from social media are two things that can also damage your brain. Recent studies from the Wall Street Journal have confirmed that social media platforms are designed to be harmful to the user, contributing to stress and anxiety.
A report from mental health experts at Yale University states, “stresses that the brain is going through a highly sensitive period between the ages of 10 and 19, when identities and feelings of self-worth are forming. Frequent social media use may be associated with distinct changes in the developing brain, potentially affecting such functions as emotional learning and behavior, impulse control, and emotional regulation”
When stress and similar symptoms start to develop, you will have high cortisol levels in your body, which can be detrimental. Stress related high cortisol levels damage parts of your brain used for communication, memory, organization and visual perception. Not only are vital abilities affected, but brain cells will start to die. As a result, stress is a precursor to diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Stress is unavoidable, but everyone experiences it. Just like how a pen loses its ink, there are ways to refill the ink, like with preventing brain shrinkage.
Now every time you scroll through TikTok and Instagram, you should consider whether you want to shrink your brain or not!
But here’s the good news. There are ways to help with brain shrinkage. Regular exercise such as yoga, aerobics, and weight training will continue to keep your brain open and growing. Activities such as meditation and dieting, especially eating foods rich in Omega 3 are amazing for reversing brain shrinkage. Having the right mindset is important as well; it will prevent you from experiencing high cortisol levels. Whenever you are stressed, think of it as an opportunity for improvement and self reflection. Finally, the best, and most effective way to keep your brain and your body healthy is taking time off on your phone and socials.
So, why would you want social media to shrink your brain when there are so many wonderful things you could do to grow your brain? And now, I am going to put down my phone and go walk my dog.
