A Social Media Addiction

Yes, it is true. I am obsessed...addicted...whatever you want to call it. From constantly checking my phone in between my baby's cries, to wasting an hour nap time browsing Instagram with no purpose in mind.

It all hit me once again. This time I am not ignoring it. I had yelled at my toddler to 'hold on a minute because Mommy is busy' when really I was just checking the latest news on Facebook, probably for the 10^th time that day (and it was only 9 am). Then there was my baby. My littlest was standing at a play table, babbling away. She had only begun to stand at anything about 4 days ago but I thought I would just quickly check my phone once again, just for one minute. Well of course, in that 'one minute' my little baby fell and hit her head smack on the floor. While perhaps I could not have prevented this, my reactions could have been quicker, my arms could have been open to grab her, and I simply would not have been distracted, had I not been on my phone for no good reason. My sweet little girls needed my attention and I chose to ignore them yet again. Why? Simply to disappear in a world of 'likes' and 'comments'. A world separate from making snacks, wiping bums and cleaning up messes and all the other 'mundane' and 'boring' tasks that a stay-at-home mom has.

I am truly obsessed. And while I am completely ashamed to admit it, I am admitting it. I am going out with it, because it needs to stop.

My addiction is taking over. My addiction is turning me into a less loving Mom and a much more distant one. My addiction is taking me away from precious moments with my two beautiful little girls. It is stealing my time and robbing me of true joy. Most of all? My addiction is against God's will for the way I spend my time and for how He wants me to live my life. (Ps. 90:12 - 'So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom')

It is talked about a lot. The Social Media Addiction…ways to combat it, why it is so horrible, how awful those moms are staring at their phones while their kids are at their feet. Judge me all you want – I judge myself. Because what I am doing IS terribly selfish and incredibly wrong.

I want to put this out in the open. Perhaps to remind another mom that you are not alone in this addiction, perhaps to speak up in a community of others who also struggle, or perhaps to simply encourage a community of support between us Moms.

It is true and obvious – motherhood is not easy. Staying at home with my beautiful children is tough. It can be long, boring, exhausting, and lonely. And yes, social media 'helps' in so many ways with these feelings. It makes me feel connected. It takes me away from the long days, allowing me to escape for 5 minutes. It brings me into another reality, apart from the one I am in that can feel so draining. I think that we all know this. I wonder though, is this really a help or a hindrance to our work as moms?

Does it truly fulfill? Does it take away my feelings of loneliness and my dissatisfaction? Not in the least. I try to fulfill this emptiness in my heart with 'likes' and 'comments' on Facebook or following someone else's life on Instagram, yet I am only left wanting something else. I am left feeling just as lonely and dissatisfied as I was at the start. Yet I try again and again and again…

Through planning and accountability and continually working at it, I can try to overcome this addiction. But in truth, there is only one way that I will overcome it. Through total surrender to Christ. Instead of filling a void with Social Media, I can and I need to fully fill this void through the love of my Saviour, by giving it up to Him and leaning on Him for that fulfillment that I need so desperately. 

I am positive that I am not the only mom struggling with this 'addiction'. I am sure that because I am not alone in this, I have sisters in Christ who are here working along side me combating this. If you are also struggling with this, are interested to know how I am working on surrendering this to Christ, interested in working along side me to combat this, or have any sound advice as to how to overcome this struggle, please do reach out.  Let us not let this 'small thing' become a big thing that takes over the joy we can have as mothers.

Romans 15:13 - May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.


**For some tips read my post 5 Ways to Get Unplugged