Help! I Have To Go On Social Media Sometimes!

Social media is hard to put down for almost everyone, but it is especially hard for our novelty-seeking ADHD brains with their (generally lower) dopamine levels.

Social media algorithms use powerful behavior modification techniques to grab people's attention and keep it as long as possible. 

For example, just like a slot machine, it randomly rewards user actions. 

Were you aware that random and infrequent rewards for actions are one of the most powerful ways to modify behaviors?

(I'm looking at you, "Candy Crush"! 🍬🍬)

Social media also takes advantage of the innately human desire for social connection.

How We Might Approach Social Media Use

Yes, ADHD brains are at a disadvantage when it comes to resisting the pull of hanging out on social media sites, but there are some steps we can take to make it easier to get what we need or want from them without being tricked into engaging longer than we intended. 

(I say easier, but I do not believe we will always be able to avoid spending more time than we wanted on the sites.) 

This means that when social media occasionally "wins," and we spend excessive time on it, we need to be kind to ourselves. 

The good news is that with planning and awareness, we can "win" more often.

It may help to realize that the difficulty we are having is not our "fault".  

We are very susceptible to the behavioral modification techniques that are used by social media sites because our brains have trouble keeping our dopamine levels at a level that promotes focus and other behaviors that require impulse control.

(Note: The above explanation may not be very scientific but it is how I translate the science into a way that I can understand and remember.)

Strategy And Intention

What we can do is try to be strategic and intentional about when and why we go on social media.

For me, the effort it takes to cope with the distractions that are designed into social media is similar to the effort that I have to exert when I shop in brick-and-mortar stores. 

Virtually everything in a store practically screams, "buy me!" to me and it takes a lot of my emotional energy to repeatedly tell myself, "No."

It's as if my rational self is taking a virtual toddler into the store and has to keep redirecting them back to our "real mission" of buying only what we need!

The Same Strategies, (Adapted For Social Media)

We Already Have some Proven Tools

Many of the techniques we already use to get work done may also be useful for weakening the pull of social media.

Takeaways

• Social Media uses sophisticated and targeted reward systems in order to engage and ensnare us, because the more time we spend on the sites, the more money they make.

• Everyone is susceptible to falling into the trap but ADHD brains can be especially vulnerable. 

• We can try to be intentional about when and why we go on social media to increase our chances of not falling into the sophisticated psychological traps.

• Be kind to ourselves when we do succumb, and congratulate ourselves when we stop. (Over time this will help weaken the pull because we are motivated by success and praise (even self-praise) and not by negative feedback and self-recriminations.)