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English Podcast For Learning English | Social Media And Mental Health | English Leap Podcast — Transcript

by Speak English With Class · 1,985 words · 379 segments · language en · Watch on YouTube

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0:00Englishly podcast
0:02from Speak English with Class.
0:05Hello everyone and welcome back to the
0:07Englishly podcast. I'm Jennifer here
0:10with my fantastic co-host, Daniel.
0:13Hey there, listeners.
0:14Today's episode is a big one. We're
0:16tackling a topic that's a part of all
0:18our lives, social media.
0:21And the title of today's episode says it
0:22all, how social media destroys your
0:25life.
0:26We'll be looking at why social media is
0:27so addictive and how it might be
0:29affecting us in ways we don't even
0:31realize.
0:31Mhm.
0:33That's right.
0:34We're talking about everything from why
0:36we can't stop scrolling to how social
0:38media can impact our self-esteem and
0:40mental health.
0:42So, if you've ever found yourself
0:43wondering why you're glued to your
0:45phone, or why you feel down after
0:47scrolling through Instagram, this
0:49episode is for you.
0:51Jennifer, let's get real for a second.
0:53Have you ever been on your phone
0:54planning to check one little thing and
0:56suddenly it's been like an hour and
0:59you're deep in some random video about,
1:01I don't know, how to make pottery?
1:03Oh, absolutely.
1:05It's like I go in to check one thing and
1:08before I know it, I'm watching baby
1:10goats jumping around.
1:12It's like,
1:13where did the time go?
1:15Social media has this magical ability to
1:16make us lose track of time.
1:19Exactly.
1:21I can't tell you how many times I've
1:22said, "I'll just be a minute."
1:24only to end up watching videos of,
1:26get this, people organizing their
1:28closets.
1:30Which by the way, my closet looks
1:31nothing like those.
1:33But I keep watching anyway, it's
1:34addictive.
1:35Uh-huh. It is. And here's the crazy
1:38part. Science actually explains why this
1:41happens.
1:43Social media apps are designed to keep
1:44us coming back for more.
1:46It's all about those little hits of
1:48dopamine we get every time we see
1:49something we like or get a new
1:51notification.
1:52Mhm. And dopamine, for anyone who
1:54doesn't know, is that feel-good chemical
1:57in our brains.
1:59It's what makes us feel happy or
2:00excited. And it's the same chemical
2:02that's released when we eat chocolate,
2:04win a game, or laugh at a great joke.
2:07So, every time we get a notification,
2:09our brain says, "Ooh, that feels nice.
2:12Let's do it again."
2:13Exactly.
2:15And the more we get that feeling, the
2:17more we want it.
2:18It's a bit like a video game. Each like
2:21or comment is a tiny reward that keeps
2:24us playing.
2:25And before we know it, we're hooked.
2:28Which is wild, right?
2:30Because we're not playing a game or
2:31eating chocolate. We're just scrolling.
2:35But our brains can't tell the
2:36difference.
2:37They just know they want that next hit
2:39of dopamine.
2:40Yes.
2:41And that's what makes it so hard to put
2:43our phones down. We get trapped in a
2:46cycle of constantly checking for those
2:48little rewards, even when we know we
2:50should probably stop.
2:51Mhm.
2:52Oh, and just before we go deeper into
2:54the topic, we have a free PDF for this
2:57episode.
2:58It's full of key points, useful phrases,
3:00and vocabulary.
3:02So, if you'd like to follow along or
3:04review later, check the description for
3:06the download link.
3:08Yes, it's perfect for anyone who wants
3:10to take notes or needs a reminder of
3:12what we discussed today.
3:13All right, let's get into it. There's a
3:15lot to cover.
3:17So, let's start with why social media is
3:19so addictive.
3:21We touched on dopamine, but there's more
3:23to it.
3:24It's also about instant gratification.
3:27That feeling of getting something
3:28quickly without much effort.
3:30Think about it.
3:32You post a photo, and within seconds you
3:34might have likes or comments.
3:37Right.
3:38And let's be honest, that instant
3:40feedback feels good.
3:42You don't have to wait or work hard to
3:43feel appreciated. It's like, post a
3:46photo, get a like, feel happy.
3:48Simple, right?
3:50But it's also kind of dangerous.
3:52Exactly, because it teaches our brains
3:54to crave those quick rewards.
3:57It's a bit like eating junk food. It
3:59tastes good in the moment, but it's not
4:01exactly good for us.
4:03And over time, we start to rely on
4:05social media for that instant happiness.
4:08And the scary part? It makes other
4:10things in life feel slow or boring.
4:13Like waiting in line or reading a book
4:15doesn't give us that quick dopamine hit.
4:17So, our brains are like, "This isn't as
4:19fun."
4:20Yes, it can actually change how we see
4:22other activities.
4:24We start feeling like if it's not fast
4:26or instantly rewarding, it's not worth
4:28it.
4:29And that can really mess with our
4:30patience and focus.
4:31Mhm. And speaking of focus, social media
4:34can seriously mess with our attention
4:36span.
4:37Have you ever noticed how short videos
4:39keep getting shorter?
4:41First, we had YouTube with long videos,
4:43then came Instagram with shorter ones,
4:45and now TikTok has quick 10-second
4:47videos that loop.
4:49Yes. And our brains start to get used to
4:52that fast pace.
4:53We go from one video to the next, and
4:56suddenly, sitting through a 30-minute
4:58documentary feels like running a
5:00marathon.
5:01So true.
5:03I've tried to read a book sometimes, and
5:05my brain's just like, "Come on, where's
5:07the action? Where's the excitement?"
5:10It's like we're training ourselves to
5:11want constant entertainment.
5:13Uh-huh. And that's not good for things
5:15like studying, working, or even just
5:17enjoying quiet moments.
5:20Our attention spans get shorter, and our
5:22ability to focus on one thing for a long
5:25time decreases.
5:27It's like social media has rewired our
5:29brains to be impatient.
5:31Exactly.
5:32And when we can't focus, it affects our
5:34productivity, our learning, and even our
5:37relationships.
5:39Suddenly, real conversations seem slow
5:41or boring, because we're used to that
5:43quick pace.
5:44Now, let's talk about the comparison
5:46trap.
5:47Social media is full of perfect
5:48pictures, vacations, fancy food, happy
5:51families, and even though we know it's
5:54not the full story, it's hard not to
5:56compare.
5:57Yes.
5:58It's like you see someone's beach photo
6:00and suddenly your own life feels kind of
6:02dull.
6:03You start thinking, "Why am I not doing
6:05that? Why don't I have that?"
6:07And it's even worse because people
6:08usually only post the best parts of
6:10their lives.
6:12We don't see the struggles, the boring
6:14days, or the challenges.
6:16So, we end up comparing our whole lives
6:18to someone's highlight reel.
6:20It's like seeing a movie trailer, all
6:22the exciting parts, but none of the
6:23behind-the-scenes work.
6:25And when we compare ourselves, it's easy
6:27to feel like we're falling behind.
6:29Exactly.
6:31And that can lead to feelings of
6:33jealousy, sadness, and even depression.
6:36We start to think everyone else has it
6:38better, but really, we're all just
6:40seeing the surface.
6:41And then there's the effect on our
6:43relationships.
6:44Have you ever noticed people sitting
6:45together, but everyone's on their phone?
6:48It's like we're together, but not
6:49actually together.
6:51Yes.
6:52It's kind of funny, but also kind of
6:54sad.
6:55We're so busy checking in on people who
6:57aren't there that we miss the people who
6:59are.
7:00And it's true. Studies show that being
7:02on our phones all the time can actually
7:04make us feel more isolated.
7:07We're connected to hundreds of people
7:08online, but it can make us forget to
7:10build strong, real-life connections.
7:13Uh-huh. Right. And over time, this can
7:17lead to feelings of loneliness, even
7:19when we're surrounded by people.
7:21It's like social media tricks us into
7:23thinking we're connected, but it's not
7:25the same as real, face-to-face
7:28interaction.
7:29Mhm.
7:30And finally, let's talk about the impact
7:32on mental health.
7:33Spending hours on social media has been
7:35linked to anxiety, depression, and low
7:38self-esteem.
7:39It's especially tough when we're
7:41constantly comparing ourselves to
7:42others.
7:43Yes, when we look to social media for
7:46validation, it can really mess with our
7:48self-worth.
7:49We start to think that if we don't get
7:51enough likes or comments, we're not good
7:53enough.
7:54It's like our value is based on numbers
7:56instead of who we are.
7:58And it's easy to fall into that mindset,
8:00right?
8:01One day you get a lot of likes and you
8:03feel great.
8:04The next day, not as much and suddenly
8:06you're questioning yourself.
8:08Exactly.
8:09And over time, this can lead to bigger
8:11issues like anxiety or depression
8:14because we're relying on something
8:15external to feel good about ourselves.
8:18It's a dangerous cycle.
8:19Well, that was quite a deep dive into
8:21the effects of social media. It really
8:23gives us a lot to think about.
8:25Absolutely.
8:27And for those of you listening who want
8:28to get a better grasp on the vocabulary
8:30we discussed, we've got you covered.
8:33Yes, it's time for our vocabulary
8:34breakdown with Charlotte.
8:36She'll go over some of the key words and
8:38phrases from today's episode to help you
8:40understand them better and put them into
8:41practice.
8:43Take it away, Charlotte.
8:45Hello listeners. It's Charlotte here
8:47with some important vocabulary and
8:48phrases from today's episode. Let's dive
8:51in and explore these words to help you
8:53understand and use them better.
8:57Addiction.
8:59Meaning, a strong, often harmful need to
9:02keep doing something repeatedly.
9:05Example, video games can sometimes lead
9:08to addiction, making it hard for people
9:10to stop playing.
9:13Instant gratification. Meaning, the
9:16desire to experience pleasure or
9:18satisfaction immediately, without delay.
9:22Example, shopping online can offer
9:25instant gratification as you can buy
9:27things with just one click.
9:31Dopamine. Meaning, a chemical in the
9:34brain that makes us feel happy or
9:36excited. Often released when we
9:38experience something enjoyable.
9:41Example, eating chocolate releases
9:44dopamine in the brain, making us feel
9:46pleasure.
9:48Attention span, meaning the amount of
9:51time someone can focus on one thing
9:54without becoming distracted.
9:56Example, reading a book requires a
9:59longer attention span than watching
10:01short videos.
10:04Comparison trap, meaning the habit of
10:07comparing oneself to others,
10:09often leading to feelings of jealousy or
10:12inadequacy.
10:14Example, falling into the comparison
10:16trap can make people feel like they're
10:18not achieving enough.
10:21Self-worth, meaning the sense of one's
10:25own value or worth as a person.
10:28Example, it's important to build
10:30self-worth from within rather than
10:33relying on others' opinions.
10:36Validation,
10:38meaning the need for approval or
10:40recognition from others to feel good
10:42about oneself.
10:44Example, many people seek validation
10:47through compliments, but true confidence
10:50comes from within.
10:52Face-to-face interaction, meaning direct
10:56in-person communication between people.
10:59Example, face-to-face interaction helps
11:02people connect on a deeper level than
11:05texting.
11:07Isolation, meaning the state of feeling
11:10alone or separated from others.
11:13Example, working from home can sometimes
11:17lead to feelings of isolation.
11:20Mindful, meaning being aware and
11:24thoughtful about one's actions and
11:26feelings.
11:27Example, being mindful of our words can
11:30help us communicate more kindly and
11:33effectively.
11:35That's it for today's vocabulary. Try
11:37using these words in sentences this week
11:39to make them more familiar. Remember,
11:42being mindful of how social media
11:44affects us can help us make better
11:46choices. Good luck and keep practicing.
11:49Thank you so much, Charlotte. These
11:51vocabulary tips are always so helpful.
11:54Yes, thank you, Charlotte. It makes
11:56understanding these topics a whole lot
11:57easier.
11:58Wow, that was a lot to unpack. I hope
12:01this episode gives everyone something to
12:03think about.
12:04Social media can be a powerful tool, but
12:06it's important to be mindful of how it
12:08affects us.
12:09Yes, it's all about balance. Social
12:11media isn't all bad, but knowing how it
12:14affects us can help us make healthier
12:15choices.
12:17We hope this episode was helpful and
12:18gave you some insights.
12:20Thank you, everyone, for joining us
12:21today. Don't forget to download the PDF
12:24with all the key points and vocabulary
12:26from today's episode. You'll find the
12:28link in the description.
12:30And remember, a little break from social
12:31media might be just what you need. Take
12:34care and thank you for listening.
12:37Goodbye for now and remember, don't let
12:39social media control you. Be in control.
12:45Your progress doesn't end here.
12:47To continue advancing your English
12:48skills, click on the next video or
12:50explore the additional videos we've
12:52thoughtfully selected for you.

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