In my last post, I explained some of the negative effects social media has on mental health, and I am hoping this does not become a trend, but I am starting to notice even more negative effects it can possibly have on the brain. To an extent, I believe that technology and social media is doing everyone an injustice because we no longer have to try to acquire information, let alone retain any of it. Having a cell phone with memory storage, social media apps, and internet access literally gives you anything you would want to know in a matter of seconds. I am definitely guilty of looking something up and not remembering a single aspect of it the following day because I know I can always look it up again if I need to, right? Yes, but that is not how it should be. As humans, we are curious beings, but to put it plainly, many of us are making ourselves less smart for relying on this means of obtaining what we want to know. Furthermore, I have come to realize that even when I am applying myself, in class or doing homework, my mind is not fully there at least half the time. Throughout the end of this week, I have noticed myself thinking about weekend plans, what I was going to eat for lunch, and most prominently, if I had a notification on my phone in response to the texts I sent just before things got started. It is almost unbearable to sit through a 50 minute lecture without checking my phone, even knowing that when I do, it is not only a distraction to myself but others around me and possibly even my professors. Overall, it makes me wonder if I am subconsciously jeopardizing my education, and if I am, to what extent?

Recently, I discovered an article that described several ways in which social media has a negative impact on mental health. At first read, I thought most of it was fairly inaccurate, and I did not believe that it applied to me in any form, mostly because it discussed being addicted to these platforms and having negative feelings about one's self while using them. However, after reading other's feedback, I realized that the article kind of nailed it, especially for millennials, because I honestly do not know if I could go without my cell phone for even a day. When I wake up, I lay in bed and scroll through social media. When I am waiting for my next class to begin, I scroll through social media. When I go to the restroom, you guessed it, I am still on social media. It has become almost like a routine and part of my daily life. Although I strongly believe in living in the moment and putting down the phone for special events, I still find my nose in the phone and isolating myself from the world. I was just at IHOP the other day when I noticed a family of five in the booth beside of me, all sitting in silence as they looked at their phone, and I could not help but feel so sad. I want to look deeper into how this impacts our social relationships, in general, because if you cannot even give up your cell phone to have a nice dinner with your family, how severe are the effects of this possible addiction?