I’m a psychoanalyst. Social media is damaging children’s inner lives in ways we don’t fully understand | Robin Kirman
Summary
A psychoanalyst explains how heavy use of social media can harm young people’s inner sense of self and what they want in life. Social media addiction changes how the brain’s motivation system works, making users focus on the constant stream of new content instead of real desires and interests.Key Facts
- A woman named Kaley, who used social media from age six, said her "miracle day" would be to feel prettier, showing a deep focus on appearance.
- Many teens struggle to understand what they truly want because social media keeps their attention fixed on how they look and their social status.
- Common mental health problems linked to heavy social media use include anxiety, depression, eating disorders, addiction, self-harm, and social withdrawal.
- Social media activates the brain’s Seeking system, which drives curiosity and desire, but addiction makes this system fixated on the online feed instead of real-world exploration.
- This fixation distorts desire, turning it into a compulsive and uncontrolled need for social media content, expressed as a concept called “jouissance” by psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan.
- The damage goes beyond just behavior; it affects young people’s developing identities and their ability to form genuine desires.
- The brain’s dopamine reward system is chronically activated by social media, reinforcing addictive patterns.
- The public discussion about social media harms has focused mostly on observable behaviors, not enough on its effects on inner desires and identity development.
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