Call the DEA on the SOCIAL MEDIA DRUG DEALERS?

Before we get started: There will be people who will read this and say “Well then get off social media. Delete the app and quit bitching”.

I know you are a keyboard warrior but…. Please don’t say anything. Just scroll on by.

I mean, just go back to your filter bubble and enjoy your digital narcotic.

The documentary Social Dilemma on Netflix is a good place to start.

It’s a bit over the top. But the basic thesis of that film is solid.

The Key

• Intermittent reinforcement
• Filter bubbles
• Intentional status destruction
• Systematic trading on insecurity

“Addictive” may be a strong word.

However, intentionally designed for compulsive use is an indisputable fact. Addictive is in the ballpark.

Social Currency

Think “slot machines” that distribute social currency.

Intentionally designed to hook young people.

As a 52-year-old man, I can see this for what it is.

It impacts me. But nothing that serious.

Intentionally Destructive

Middle school students, high school students, and young adults are unable to keep it in perspective.

It is intentionally destructive.

I hate it when people I love are harmed by these platforms.

FAKE images designed to erode self-esteem.

Thrown at kids during their most vulnerable life stage.

Record Levels

I read that approximately 74% of Millenials / and 78% of Gen Z report being lonely.

They have little genuine confidence.

It’s superficial and half-real world.

Record setting levels of anxiety and depression among college students.

Social media is a major contributor to deaths of despair.

Silicon Valley Elites

One thing is even more laughable. The “Silicon Valley” elite progressives want to preach about social issues.

They want to claim the moral high ground as it relates to racial issues, issues of diversity, social justice etc…

The silly minions follow the leader as they intentional design self-esteem destroying algorithms.

And then they lecture us on social justice. Silly, silly, people. OR….dangerous people.

Action Needed

Meanwhile, they are an oligarchy. Robber Barrons. No different than the railroad industry.

Fight back? Relentless campaign against the fakeness?

Regulation? Complete dismantling?

Zuckerberg, Dorsey, Brin, and all the other drug dealers. The real CARTEL.

I wonder if this will get reported? I wonder if this will be censured?

The post Call the DEA, They Are Killing Us! appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

Mental Health Crisis

I am very certain that the following modern realities contribute mightily to current mental health crisis, our stress, anxiety, fatigue, depression, angst, despair, substance use/other self destructive behaviors and on and on….

The Steps

1. The “Look At Me” Peacock Culture
   The spectacle culture. Constant 24 hour a day comparisons magnified by filtered images and manufactured scenario. “Purchased” (literally) followers/“likes”, digital profiling, fear of being left out, status envy on steroids.
   
2. Too Many Choices
   Way too much of everything. Too many types of everything. From cereal to cars to software. Ridiculous and overwhelming.
   
3. Too Much
   Too much info and Too much toxic info.
   What do you read next?
   What do you binge watch next?
   Who do you spend your time with and where do you go eat tonight?
   Which website do you use to check restaurant reviews…. ?
   What source do you trust?
   
   Your argument defending your position on important matters is essentially a series of googled research articles that support your opinion. Stop doing that.
   
4. Hysteria and Shark Shaming!
   Out of context reporting on tragic situations. Creating hysteria. Click bait journalism.
   If it bleeds it leads has gone to another level. Kid attacked by shark in Nebraska circulates the cable news. Moms around the nation immediately enroll children in shark awareness training. PETA gets involved and is pissed sharks are being “shamed”.
   CNN runs a town hall hosted by Anderson Cooper: titled – “Has America Jumped the Shark-Intolerance and Fish-Hate Hits the Heartland”.
   
5. Tribalism
   Total tribalism on all political fronts. Trickling down to constant agenda pushing at all levels by all people in all parties. Always.
   People speak only in talking points. The call out culture runs the day. People troll online and in real life just waiting to call out other people when they violate a sacred principle of their identified tribe. Such bullshit. This circus is accessible all the time. Leads to a complete disregard for facts and a general feeling the world is falling apart. People have abandoned critical thinking.
   
6. Constant Connection 24/7/365
   We are always on the hook with work and other responsibilities. Requires concentrated willpower to check out.
   
7. The “Hurry Up & Get That Done” Vibe
   This seems to pervade every aspect of life. All sports are organized. All activities are organized.
   Vacations are a competition. They are organized and just splendid. And the results are broadcast over social media.
   For the record, my vacations are WORK. Kids wear my ass out.
   
8. TV Remotes Have 8,974 Buttons
   Every freaking device is too cool for its own good. They can record a show while watching another show while transcribing another show while running a retina scan while teaching the baby math, while turning oven off, while monitoring the perimeter, while changing the oil in the van etc…,
   
   Question: HOW DO YOU CHANGE THE CHANNEL OR TURN UP THE VOLUME ON A TV?
   That’s all I want to do …. Same complexity exists for all software updates and app instillation etc….
   
9. User Names & Passwords
   Too many user names and passwords to remember. The human brain is not designed for such things.
   
10. Bank Cards
    Bank cards that get randomly shut down because of new upgraded protection. With no warning.
    
11. The 10 Second Rule, Rules!
    The sense that my phone is “too slow” when I Google something.
    There was a time when I just wouldn’t have the answer to that question or the address to that business etc… it would not be “at my finger tips”.
    Now I get frustrated and lose my mind if I can’t get the answer within 10 seconds.
    
12. The GPS Lady
    The GPS woman providing directions.
    When you get off an exit to use the bathroom and she frantically screams at you…”proceed to the route”……

When it comes to explaining our current mental health crisis…. this list is as good as any explanation I have ever seen.

If you don’t know…now you know. You know very well….. 😎

The post “12 Steps” To A Mental Health Crisis appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

SHARE THIS!

This #socialmedia stuff is getting real serious. Our kids are suffering from anxiety, depression and reporting record levels of suicidal thinking.

Our children are purposefully being hi-jacked, taken over and gravely affected. We can’t take our eyes off the screen.

The average age of kids using smartphones is just 10 years old. WHAT???

Social media giants are very aware of the control and influence they have over our kids. They spend millions polishing and perfecting their tactics and honing their craft.

RECOVERY CARTEL PSA

 STARTLING RESEARCH

Researchers believe this has caused, and will continue to give rise to, the staggering increase in teen-aged and young adult depression and suicidal thinking.

Can you even imagine a 11 year child committing or attempting suicide? Well, imagine the impact constant connection and comparison with other pre-teens may have on a young person. Imagine middle school 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

It is an absolute fact that, in large part, social media is the culprit.

Constant connection and constant comparison is not normal. Human being are not designed for this aspect of modern life.

Fear of missing out and fear of being left out are very difficult for teenagers and young adults to accept. These anxieties are taken to another level via social media.

WE MUST TALK ABOUT THIS!!!

Many of us do not understand the impact this has. We were taken by surprise with the smartphone. I did not address this issue with my older kids (now 26, 23, 20).

We must work to provide these kids with a better perspective.

100% SMOKE & MIRRORS

Social media, at its most fundamental level, capitalizes on the human desire to establish oneself in the tribe. It is a natural instinct. However, this instinct can backfire when it involves technology.

Stating the obvious. Our kids need to know that: a) Social media is not a reflection on real life. People do not always look that good. People do not put up bad news. The group that you envy is full of young people who are just as insecure and envious as you. b) Social media is essentially entertainment. Treat it as such. c) Social media is not going away. Each family and each person is going to need to figure out their relationship with social media. Do you engage at all? If so, how much? When and where? How old when you begin?

And perhaps most importantly: d) Social media doesn’t reflect real life achievement or a human being’s value. Anyone can look good, anyone can get a following, anyone can be an internet superstar. Literally, you can pay for likes, followers, and social media engagement.

It’s the matrix.

FACTS & INFO

Here’s the link to USA Today article – https://www.usatoday.com/…/depression-suicide-m…/3172743002/.

And here is the link to the actual American Psychological Association study. – https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/abn-abn0000410.pdf

The post ANTI-SOCIAL MEDIA: THIS ONE GOES OUT TO THE KIDS! appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

Social Media Acceptance and Status

Constant connection into social media leads to constant comparison.

The picture above is from a Psychology Today article title “The Comparison Trap”. It outlines the diabolical dark side of social media.

For many people this constant comparison leads to an ever-present nagging feeling they may be falling short in their own lives. Human beings are hardwired to assess how they measure up.

Human beings are subconsciously drawn toward assessing their status within the group.

This Self Assessment was essential for survival as we evolved.

If you weren’t accepted and of low status back in the day you were in danger. Being a central and valued part of the tribe meant physical safety.

Today we seek acceptance and status to preserve psychological safety more than physical safety.

Social media is most damaging to those who are most actively engaged.

Young people are most vulnerable to issues associated with status seeking.

Think about being in middle school 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Never able escape the cliques and the constant message “you aren’t cool enough or pretty enough etc…”.

There is a growing body of literature supporting a correlation between screen time and depressive symptoms. See this Psychology Today article for example. 

Anxiety rates are at record high among college students.

Social isolation is becoming the new norm and 1 in 4 Americans report they have no friends to confide in. Americans are lonely, isolated and depressed.

Anti-Social Media:

Social media is not the only factor contributing to our current societal crisis.

However, it is clear that social media has had a significant anti-social impact. Being able to look at pictures of those with perfect personal lives and epic professional accomplishments can chip away at self esteem.

Pictures that are perfectly produced with just the right angle and just the right filter.

In one of the more troubling signs of the times people are seeking plastic surgery to look like their edited online pictures. 

We now know there is a correlation between time on social media and suicidal ideation. Same can be said for depressive symptoms.

Is the explosion of social media directly connected to deaths of despair (overdose, suicide) and the mental health/substance use disorders crisis?

This connection hasn’t been firmly proven and is open to debate. However, it’s not difficult to connect these dots.

As technology and social media become more advanced future generations will be even more dependent.

For me, social media is something I view through the lens of a time without social media. My kids won’t have that perspective.

Cyber-life will be the norm. Social media is not going anywhere. It’s only going to expand from here.

There may be some gate-keeping and regulations along the way. Platforms are going be added and expanded. Not eliminated or contracted.

Their reach will be deeper and wider and involve technology that we cannot currently conceive.

What do we do?

If you can’t beat it join it. We need to meet people in need where they are; on the platforms.

We need to bring emotionally supportive content and we need to start sharing the truth of our lives.

We need to fight fire with fire.

People are going on social media platforms and coming away feeling worse about themselves. Especially young people.

Professional public health strategy should include social media outreach that directly confronts this artificial landscape.

Pro-social coaches who are willing to share the good, the bad, and the ugly in an effort to present reality rather than “manufactured” reality.

Uplifting content and constant connection that promotes self-confidence and empathy.

This would take a monumental effort and require serious strategy.

The biggest challenge would be delivering the content in a manner consistent with the culture and norms of any given sub-group.

Ideally, we would use age-appropriate coaches to deliver the content.

Maintaining authenticity and genuineness is essential.

Can we use this technology for good?

The post The Dark Side of Social Media appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.