Picture this: it’s a Wednesday night, and you’re unwinding in bed and you’re mindlessly scrolling and ‘just a little’ turns into a 2 hour scroll session.
Now, I want you to ask yourself: could this time have been spent checking on a friend or family member? After a night of scrolling do you find yourself waking up drained, irritable, or even just numbed and disconnected? Many videos, posts, and articles, are often posted/stares to trigger emotions and keep us clicking, but how much clicking is too much? When do you take a break? Not only can being on your phone drain the energy that could be spent engaging in real-life interactions, but it can decrease time spent with a partner, missed connections, and most importantly negative comparisons for the lives of individuals. A lot of things are affected by social media, that’s no secret, but a few things stick out more to me than others…. A false sense of intimacy: did you know that there’s different layers of commitments within our friendships. If you didn’t, don’t feel bad, neither did I. Some friendships can communicate one a week, once a month, once a year, and even beyond that. It’s okay if you feel like you need more communication than that. Lasting friendships are based off of more than social history. They’re made in the valleys and peaks of milestones. Illusion of false support: I’m not saying online support isn’t real, but it’s definitely not as authentic as the face-to-face that we all need at some point. For example: asking a friend if they saw an announcement on social media vs calling and sharing the announcement. When did it become too much trouble to call one of your closest friends and share the news? Since when did seeing something on social media along with everyone else become the 'it' thing. Jealousy: I said it, because I can admit that I’ve been jealous before, have you? Jealousy exists no matter your age and among friends it’s common and often from miscommunication or lack thereof. Maybe you find yourself jealous when your friend spends more time with someone else and shares their thoughts and feelings or the season that they’re in right now. If you find yourself in the presence of a jealous friend, maybe step back and ask yourself what the root of the jealousy is. Everything is so public these days, the only way to get to the root of it all is communication. As, R.I.M Dunbar said, the time you invest in a relationship determines the strength of the relationship. Friendships should be understanding, trustful, and a bond that helps you to grow and be there for you through the stages of your life. Friends exist to provide us with support and to be there for us; to be a shoulder. No matter how sympathetic someone may be online, in the end, it’s about having a tribe that you can embrace on the tough days! Whatever your journey may look like right now, please remember that you need a tribe outside of social media and like I stated before, it's okay if you feel like you need more communication than others. Your true friends, your tribe, will know the level of communication that you need. Let’s talk about it in the comments. Do you feel the same way?
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AuthorExplore the depths of emotions, feelings and thoughts, through raw, honest, and unapologetic expression in poetry, prose and blog form. Archives
June 2024
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