Social media promised connection. For many Black men, it delivers the opposite — a relentless stream of violence, injustice, comparison, and performative masculinity. The algorithm does not care about your nervous system. It cares about engagement. And outrage engages.
The Cost of the Scroll
Studies consistently show that excessive social media use correlates with increased anxiety, depression, and sleep disruption. A 2023 systematic review published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking found that problematic social media use is significantly associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms across demographic groups, with younger users showing the strongest correlations. (Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 2023)
For Black men specifically, the constant exposure to police violence, racial commentary, and political conflict creates a background hum of trauma that is easy to dismiss but hard to escape. The American Psychological Association warns that vicarious trauma from media exposure to racial violence can produce PTSD-like symptoms even in people who were not directly involved. (APA, 2020)
Set Boundaries Like a Strategy
Treat your attention like the finite resource it is. Curate your feed aggressively. Unfollow accounts that leave you angry or depleted. Set app time limits. Turn off notifications. The most radical act of self-care might be logging off.
Replace, Do Not Just Remove
What fills the space when you stop scrolling? That matters. Podcasts that educate. Music that restores. Conversations that ground you. Books that expand you. MELLO's resource directory includes curated media recommendations designed to nourish rather than deplete.
You Are Not Missing Out
The fear of missing out is real, but the cost of staying plugged in is higher. Your peace is not a luxury. It is the operating system everything else runs on. Protect it.
Sources & Further Reading
- Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking (2023) — Meta-analysis on social media use and mental health outcomes.
- American Psychological Association (2020) — Vicarious trauma from racial violence and media exposure.