Did you ever ask yourself, what is actually happening behind the social media? Why is it getting harder every day not to open these apps? What has changed lately and why is everyone feeling trapped inside this fascinating but harmful universe of social media?

At a first glance, social media seems fantastic, but take a closer look and you will see that there are some problems. Among the multitude of problems that social media apps bring, the most concerning one is the fact that more and more people are becoming addicted.

An important thing to know that “contributes” to the addiction is the algorithm behind the apps and the way that they work. Their goal is keeping you connected for as long as possible and to achieve that, they try to improve the recommended posts by creating a psychological profile. Probably, at the moment, Google knows more than you could imagine about you based on your last 10 days searches. Therefore, using the information about what you like and what you don't, the social media apps recommend more and more posts that you would like. With only one click, you got trapped in their game.

Something which goes without saying about this is that when such a small step as a click on the screen keeps you away from the content that can entertain you, the curiosity and excitement take control and you will most likely open the post. This is the moment when the addiction forms, when you open hundreds and hundreds of posts automatically, just because they look somehow nice, without actually knowing what you are doing.

I’m sure that many of you found yourselves scrolling on social media, minutes or maybe even hours without a certain purpose. Social media has become a magnet that attracts us so strongly, that sometimes, everything we’re living is concentrated in that one web page, that one app, that one post, that one conversation, that one text.

Just like any other topic, social media has both advantages and disadvantages. The biggest advantage and the main reason why teenagers, young people and beyond are interested and attracted to social media is that it makes communication much easier. It’s charming, like magic! From my room I can talk to someone on the other side of the world, without even getting up from the desk.

Of course, the purpose of the creators of social media apps was not to create mass addiction or generate mental health issues that are more and more common these days. It’s clear and obvious that what is posted on social media is mostly fake: influencers and stars don't have that perfect life they are showing on social media. The pictures we see are rarely the pure product of the cameras. Many teenagers are feeling insecure because of the filters that turn a normal person into an ideal character.

The low self esteem level, the anxiety and depression are unwanted effects of social media upon users, that at some point can affect someone not only mentally, but also physically.

Technology has many benefits, but the pandemic has created millions of social media addicts. Many are stuck in this "dopamine trap." A study in India showed that 87% of users have been using social media much more than before the pandemic. It doesn't take much effort to see that these digital platforms have replaced much of our face-to-face interactions, also becoming useful tools for journalists to discover new connections and sources while working from home. Even skeptical social media researchers acknowledge that these platforms have brought people together at a difficult time for everyone.

However, it seems that we are becoming increasingly dependent - not only on the utility, but also on the dose of dopamine that these networks offer us. We are delighted when we satisfy our curiosity, receive likes, shares, comments of praise or simply feel included in society. What lies behind this desire to belong? Loneliness? Lack of surveillance? Or maybe the lack of external stimuli? The answer is deeply hidden in psychology and in a complex chemical system. Dopamine, the chemical in the brain responsible for regulating feelings of pleasure and desire, is a powerful "drug." Even before Covid-19, fans of social networks got daily doses of dopamine from these cleverly designed platforms, but everything became an even bigger problem when the pandemic hit and we were all forced to social distance. During the pandemic, our need for social interaction increased, especially since real, physical interactions were no longer possible.

Knowing all this, the reason why more and more people are getting addicted to social media becomes obvious. What can we do? Well, there is no universal "cure" - there are no pills or treatments. The only thing we can do to avoid this addiction is to be aware of the problem and disconnect (we propose walks in the park and writing poetry as methods of disconnecting).

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editorial: Mihaela Filipescu and Clara Pistol

graphic design: Mihaela Filipescu

translation: Mihaela Filipescu and Clara Pistol

DP (desktop publishing): Mihaela Filipescu