There is a clear difference between the beneficial and healthy practice of running a handful of times a week and the damage that can be done to a persons body, relationships, career, etc. that come from compulsive exercise addiction.
In previous posts, I have been pretty critical of most social media and its impact on individuals and the culture. But as with so much in life, I believe that the dose makes the poison.
This is where the concept of hormetic stress comes in. As defined in Wikipedia…
“Hormesis is any process in a cell or organism that exhibits a biphasic response to exposure to increasing amounts of a substance or condition. Within the hormetic zone, there is generally a favourable biological response to low exposures to toxins and other stressors.”
A favourable biological response to low exposures to toxins and other stressors.
The positive reasons to use social media are fairly self-evident. Connection, community, sharing of ideas, healthy discussions, etc.
What if we could take something positive away from the negative aspects of these platforms as well? An opportunity to watch the mind.
To observe how you respond to an opinion that sends a flair of anger off in your body. To note the pang of jealousy when you see that photo of your ex with their new partner. To notice the desire that wells up when you see a piece of advertising.
The simple act of mindfully observing these things as they arise allows us an opportunity to get a degree of control over them. To build up an immunity to toxins and stressors through low exposure doses.
In the right amount, social media can be a great training ground for mindfulness.
There is of course still the danger of being pulled into a system designed specifically to be addictive. No Machiavellian force crafting the most compulsive workout in the world, (well, perhaps Cross-Fit) or changing the tannins in a bottle of Malbec so it’s akin to a can of Pringles.
So by all means, pick your poison.
Just be careful of the dose.