Recently, my mom has been constantly saying that I'm spending too much time on social media. In fact, the other day she told me, "You're harming yourself, take a break for a while." But my work and my friends are here, so it feels like I'm disconnecting from life. Do you think it's reasonable for a family to want something like this from someone, or are they crossing a line? How can I discuss this?
I've had the same thing happen. My mom kept saying stuff like social media doesn't show the life you want, you know? I didn't care at first, but then I really noticed this about myself: I'm on my phone all day, my eyes hurt, and my sleep schedule is messed up. If you have work, I get that, but if your friend circle is only here, that could be a bit of a problem. I've set a limit for myself; I keep my phone away except for certain hours each day.
Let me put it this way, I can understand your mom a bit. Doing social media work is one thing, but being addicted is another. Could you be using work as an excuse? You mentioned 'disconnecting from life', but life isn't in that phone. Your mom might be saying this not to make you feel bad, but to prevent the harm she sees.
Social media addiction can disrupt the dopamine cycle at some point, especially with uncontrolled use. This means that the constantly refreshing content and incoming notifications are exhausting the brain's reward system, which triggers the feeling of wanting to leave and return again. Maybe your mother couldn't express this professionally, but it seems like she wanted to communicate a health concern. If you want to say, "I'm not addicted," you could try staying off social media for a certain period to prove it.
Let me add that my job is actually social media management. But because of that, it's unavoidable for me to have my phone in my hand even after work. My mom says, 'at least take a break on weekends or during holidays.' Is she right, or does she need to understand it since it's related to my job?
I think you should sit down with your mother and have a detailed conversation. Explain to her that your work is on social media, but create a routine that will relax her outside of work and won't wear you down. For example, you could set a phone-free evening time between you. Reducing the hours outside of work will also ease her worries in your eyes.
