I’m going to start this post off with a sigh, because this topic is exhausting. I wonder how many people are aware that they are actually in an abusive relationship with their social media account? I read posts all the time about: cutting people off, the healing is all within you, you don’t need a soul, and depend on you and only you. Has anyone ever stopped to ask how lonely that life is? It’s all under the brand of being TOXIC. A set of traits that are negative in nature but have been known to anyone who’s taken a freshman interpersonal communication course since 2008.

The “internet” decides when to make things cool.

I get it. I really do. I also get why people are becoming more and more introverted and lonely. I saw a post today that sparked the lazy hamster in my brain to get up on the wheel again.

It simply said:

“Sick of the excuse “they’re still your mom/dad/sister/brother/friend… etc” NO, toxic is toxic. You have the right to cut anyone off that’s unhealthy for you. Period”

My spirit just hated that post so much. The post itself was toxic. Because they problem doesn’t always lie in the other person. People need to learn to assess and correct their own toxicity, not just “cut anyone off” every chance they get. Which brings me back around to being in an abusive relationship with your social media account. Whichever one be your poison. The reason I say that is because, if we go on the logic that this viral post produces, absolutely anyone can get the boot. How do you actually diagnose a “toxic person?” Because it means a lot more than the surface level garbage being promoted on timelines.

People don’t know the difference.

All of a sudden, you’re cutting your mom off because she calls you everyday while you’re at work. You couldn’t possibly need that type of negativity in your life. Boom, moms on the block list now. Then, might as well go ahead and put dad on the block list too because you wouldn’t want mom using dad’s phone to call once she notices her calls aren’t going through anymore. It’s true that not all families are the same, and some families or relatives are truly unscrupulous characters, but in an average family, you’re all going to have you toxic days. A lot of the toxicity you judge in your mother was passed down to you, but, your blinders are on to your problems.

One of the main goals of an abuser is cut you off from a support system. To completely get you out there all alone that you only depend on them, or it. It changes your viewpoints first, then molds you to become whatever it wants you to be. In the case of social media, it just wants you to be mindless. To not really put too much thought into thinking for yourself and seek your validation in other people.

• Stay relevant.
• Post things that make you seem cool.
• Be sarcastic and witty.
• Throw a little bit of facetiousness in there every now and again.
• Laugh at this kind of humor.
• Don’t laugh at this.
• Care about this Cause/Charity of the day.

The list honestly goes on. Then one day you look up and you’re by yourself. I’m not writing this because I’m bitter about anything; it’s more so as an examination of myself and how much time I spend online. I’ve started to set some goals towards limiting my time and exposure.