I made my Facebook profile around 2005. I frequently used it to publish pictures of my friends and me having fun. I periodically talked about my ramblings, the books I was reading, and the eateries I went to. I also started connecting with my friends on Facebook.
A few years later, I also made my Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram accounts. I used Instagram for posting quotes, LinkedIn to interact with coworkers, and Twitter to stay current on the news. I have established relationships and networks worldwide and have promoted my services thanks to social media. It has also helped me locate community, shop, learn about events, share my write-ups, and learn new ideas.
However, I discovered that I frequently spend hours on social media, even waking up in the middle of the night to check Facebook and Instagram for messages and likes. Surprisingly, I was not alone. Around 60% of the global population uses social media, and users spend an average of about two and a half hours daily on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook.
I was relieved to learn I am not the only one engrossed in social media. But as I spent more time scrolling through Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, I noticed that my time for reading a book or walking in the park was being disrupted. Until I came across some fascinating research suggesting that social media platforms are engineered to be addictive, I blamed myself for this tendency. My addiction to social media was not totally my fault.