Students Watch The Social Media Documentary, “LIKE.”

Students Watch The Social Media Documentary, “LIKE.”

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 2 billion smartphone owners were checking their phones, on average, 150 times a day, and the enforced isolation and mandated screen time of the past two years has only increased this figure.  Research continues to confirm that having your head down, staring at the screen, chasing “likes” and seeking “followers” is the perfect recipe for low self-esteem, isolation and depression, as well as loss of focus and patience. LIKE breaks down the addiction-causing algorithms behind social media apps. The filmmakers of LIKE inspire kids and teens to consider a life of JOMO (joy of missing out) as opposed to FOMO (fear of missing out). Research and data is plentiful: happiness surges when we have digital balance, not overload; when we give ourselves time to look at actual trees, animals and all things nature, as well as interact – however we can — with other humans. (iNDIEFLIX Education)

The film was coordinated by school counselor, Leanne Bender. She said, “I felt that it was important to share this film with the Hillcrest community because I have watched youth develop an increased need for immediate gratification and more difficulty with focusing their attention in class or in conversations over the last 15 years.” She also added, “I have provided emotional support to students who were excluded from social gatherings that they learned about from posts or friends’ locations on social media over the last 3-5 years. Most of us can benefit from learning about how to utilize digital balance — parents are often as addicted to their phones and/or social media as their children.” Finally Bender commented, “The polarization that the COVID-19 pandemic and the political climate added to our community has caused a significant impact on the mental health of our students this year and any opportunity that I have to help educate them about improving their mental health is important to me.”