5 Crazy Ways Social Media Is Changing Your Brain Right Now

Summary

This video explores the profound impact of social media on our brains, revealing that 5-10% of users struggle with internet addiction, showing similar brain impairments as drug addicts. It discusses the negative effects on multitasking abilities and the emergence of 'Phantom Vibration Syndrome.' The script also highlights how social media stimulates dopamine release, rewarding self-expression, and surprisingly, how online interactions may foster stronger relationships compared to face-to-face meetings.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Social media's influence is profound, with one-third of the world's population using it, affecting not just society but also our brains.
• 🧠 Internet addiction affects 5-10% of users, causing similar brain impairments as drug dependence, particularly in white matter areas controlling emotions, attention, and decision making.
• 🔄 Social media rewires the brain to crave instant rewards, leading to a desire for more stimulation after each interaction, akin to a drug.
• 🤯 Contrary to popular belief, heavy social media users perform worse in multitasking tests, suggesting that online multitasking reduces the brain's ability to filter out distractions and commit information to memory.
• 📳 Phantom Vibration Syndrome is a psychological phenomenon where people feel their phone vibrate when it hasn't, indicating that technology is rewiring our nervous systems.
• 💡 Social media triggers the release of dopamine, the 'feel-good' chemical, especially when discussing one's own views, stimulating the same brain areas related to orgasms, motivation, and love.
• 🗣️ Social media communication is largely self-involved, with 80% being about the self, compared to 30-40% in face-to-face conversations.
• ❤️ Online interactions can foster deeper connections, as studies show that relationships initiated online can lead to increased liking and successful partnerships.
• 🤝 Online relationships may be more successful due to the anonymity and clarity of future goals provided by the online environment.
• 📢 The transcript mentions an interactive Q&A video on AsapTHOUGHT, engaging viewers by addressing questions from various social platforms.
• 📬 AsapSCIENCE has a new PO Box for fans to send mail or other items, showing their appreciation and desire for engagement with the community.

Q & A

What proportion of the world's population uses social media sites?

Approximately one-third of the entire world's population uses social media sites.

How does social media affect the brain of internet users who are unable to control their online time?

Brain scans of these individuals show similar impairments in regions that control emotional processing, attention, and decision making, as seen in those with drug dependence, including a degradation of white matter.

What is the impact of social media on the brain's rewiring process?

Social media rewires the brain by providing immediate rewards with little effort, creating a desire for these stimulations and a craving for neurological excitement after each interaction.

How does heavy social media use affect multitasking abilities?

Heavy social media users perform worse during task-switching tests, as increased multitasking online reduces the brain's ability to filter out interferences and can make it harder to commit information to memory.

What is Phantom Vibration Syndrome and how common is it?

Phantom Vibration Syndrome is a psychological phenomenon where people think they felt their phone vibrate when it didn't. It is quite common, with 89% of test subjects experiencing it at least once every two weeks.

How does technology affect our nervous systems according to the script?

Technology has begun to rewire our nervous systems, with our brains being triggered in ways they have never been before in history.

What chemical is released by social media and what is its effect on the brain?

Social media triggers the release of dopamine, the 'feel-good' chemical, which activates the reward centers in the brain, especially when discussing one's own views.

How does social media communication differ from face-to-face conversations in terms of self-involvement?

While 30-40% of face-to-face conversations involve communicating our own experiences, around 80% of social media communication is self-involved.

What effect does social media have on the formation of relationships?

Studies have found that partners tend to like each other more if they meet for the first time online, with a statistical increase in successful partnerships that started online.

How can viewers get insider information on AsapSCIENCE and behind-the-scenes content?

Viewers can get insider information by watching the Q&A video on AsapTHOUGHT, which can be found through the link in the description of the video.

How can viewers ask questions or send mail to AsapSCIENCE?

Viewers can ask questions in the comments section or on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, and they can send mail to the provided PO Box address.