
How heavy use of social media is linked to mental illness - laurex
https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2018/05/18/how-heavy-use-of-social-media-is-linked-to-mental-illness
======
SwagosaurusFlex
Several years ago I realized that checking Facebook was more annoying than
rewarding and quit using it. I then moved onto Twitter and I eventually found
that the endless outrage cycle is equally taxing. I took all social media apps
off my phone and only use them on my desktop now.

Social media removes people from the present oftentimes to our detriment. We
didn't evolve to always be connected.

~~~
laurex
While I'm not much of a fan of social media overall, I'm not sure I agree with
your last point. There's lots of evidence to suggest that a huge amount of
human evolution rests on social connection. Without it, we are way less
healthy, from an empirical standpoint. The issue with"social" media is that it
gives us some neurological rewards but doesn't really make us feel less
lonely; and sometimes may increase our feelings of isolation if we're not
really connecting, just seeing superficial information or, as is increasingly
the case, information that isn't social at all (news or other forwarded
content).

