Social media unites people from across the world. You can like pictures from thousands of miles away. You can connect with people in a way that would have been impossible two decades ago.  

So, in a world where connection seems to be everywhere around us, why are we so disconnected from each other? 

Social media offers a new form of connection; a false form of connection where people share exclusively the best side of their lives, free of flaws and imperfections that give true meaning to connection. 

It seems that this new form of fake connection becomes more of a competition. Who visited the coolest place over spring break, who has the most flawless physique or even who took pictures with the most famous celebrities. 

Then come the clicks. The likes, the shares, the comments praising the post with “you’re my idol” and “you’re so perfect.” The connection drains with every new interaction, as people leave superficial compliments then scroll, forgetting all about the post.  

We take a hit of the attention, the love, the perceived celebration from a social media post. It makes our brain buzz like nothing else, comparable only to the feeling from harmful, addictive drugs that we know are bad for us.  

And after all our followers have seen our post, we experience the “come down” effect. No more love, no more fame, no more attention being paid to us when we open the app.  

The new and improved connection we found online has come and gone, leaving us desperate for another hit of attention and likes.  

The cycle continues, keeping us hooked on this online drug that feeds on our self-esteem and attention spans.   

Society frowns on comparable systems that heighten our emotions only to leave them lower than before.   

Next time you’re going to post on social media, take a second to think about your “why” behind the post.  

Are you sharing something important to you, something that will help others, or are you just desperate for another hit of attention?