Page 79 - Healthy food

Psychology

f Facebook, Twitter about ourselves. ‘I’m seeing a lot of THE BAD AND THE GOOD
nd Instagram are people who are really struggling with Then there’s FOMSI – the Fear of Missing
aving a negative issues of self-esteem and feelings of not Something Important. We know deep
ffect on your being good enough, and often it’s down we don’t need to check Facebook
because they are comparing themselves so often, but we can’t bear the idea that an
rea i e, it’s time to take
with what they see on social media,’ says update, invite or story might pass us by.
action, says Rosie Ifould psychotherapist Lynette Evans. ‘People The effects aren’t just psychological.
get hooked on the celebrity aspect. They can have a negative impact on
They follow people like the Kardashians our physical health, too. ‘One of the
HAT’S THE FIRST THING and think a lifestyle like that is the norm. problems is the erosion of healthy sleep,’
YOU DO when you wake The line between fantasy and reality says Richard. ‘We know that sleep debt
up in the morning? Rise becomes blurred.’ In the past few years, has an impact on our physical health.
Wwith a smile and do a Lynette has seen an increase in the Studies show that even after just one
series of healthy stretches to get number of clients, week of surviving
moving? Or reach for your phone and both women and on four hours’
start scrolling through your Facebook men, who have Because you never know sleep, people start
feed to see what’s changed since you body issues. how many ‘likes’ you’ll
looked last night? If it’s the latter, then Even though we get, you keep going
you’re in the majority. According to the feel connected to
2017 Deloitte Global Mobile Consumer more people, back to check. People
Survey, 34% of us check our phones social media seems become obsessed
within five minutes of waking, and 55% to have had a
of us within 15 minutes. negative effect on
our relationships in
SCROLLING OUR LIVES AWAY real life. We may use chat or Messenger
Smartphones may only have been to talk, but we see less of our friends. ‘A
around for a decade, but they have lot of people feel really isolated,’ says
revolutionised the way we spend our Lynette. ‘They might not have actually
spare time – scrolling, swiping and seen their friends in six weeks.’
‘liking’ our way through the day. The But even if we know these things aren’t
average person checks their phone good for us, we still can’t stop looking at
more than 150 times during waking our screens. So why is it so hard for us to
hours, according to a report put them down? Former Google design
commissioned by Nokia. There are some ethicist Tristan Harris thinks he knows. As
advantages, of course – who could have a developer, his job was to make apps
predicted you could track your fertility, more addictive. He now runs an initiative
monitor your moods, scan your called Time Well Spent, which promotes
shopping for allergens or speak to a GP healthier relationships with technology. to show signs of insulin resistance. And a
via videolink, all from a screen that fits in Tristan has explained how apps use key part of getting a good night’s sleep
the palm of your hand? (In case you’re different techniques to keep us hooked. is about managing our devices better.’
wondering, you can do all of the above One of these is ‘intermittent variable Despite all this, social media can be a
with the Glow, MoodPanda, Spoon Guru rewards’ – every time we log in to check force for good. ‘When I was diagnosed
and GP at Hand apps). But most of us how many likes or messages we have, with breast cancer, I found it really hard
use our phones for one thing above all we experience a little rush of pleasure. to talk to my friends in real life, but
others – to keep track of social media. finding a group of mums through
‘We are in the world of internet THE NEED TO BE ‘LIKED’ Facebook who were just like me was
everywhere,’ says Dr Richard Graham, ‘You’re getting a dopamine hit, which is invaluable,’ says Melody, 44. ‘It was the
a specialist in technology addiction at the chemical released by our brain only place I could go to be completely
London’s Nightingale Hospital. ‘People associated with pleasure and reward,’ honest about how I was feeling.’
expect to be connected all the time.’ It explains Lynette. Because you never At its best, social media can bring us
seems we can’t stop staring at Instagram, know how many ‘likes’ you’ll get, you together, give us inspiration and advice,
Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat. And for keep going back to check. ‘People and help us stay in touch. The trick,
many, it’s becoming a problem. become obsessed with how many likes says Lynette, is to stay in control. So
One of the biggest issues, as we’re they’re getting and so they end up if you regularly find yourself mindlessly
spending all our time scrolling through putting more and more photographs reaching for your phone, use one
other people’s perfected images, is the and comments on social media. It’s a of our expert tips over the page to
way social media can make us feel never-ending cycle.’ help you find the off button.

FEBRUARY 2018 HEALTHY FOOD GUIDE 79