CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Whether it's the latest on Princess of Wales Kate Middleton, dancing in front of the mirror or keeping up with Reesa Teessa, North Carolina is obsessed with TikTok.
According to the marketing firm Hennessey Digital, North Carolina is No. 10 in the country with 133,000 monthly searches for every 100,000 people. WCNC Charlotte looked into those search habits to see what it could be doing to our mental health.
"I'm deep down the Pookie rabbit hole," one person said.
A rabbit hole he said he limits to 30 minutes a day. Jaren Doby, a mental health therapist with Novant Health, said establishing screen time boundaries is important, especially among adolescents and young adults.
"If you spend three hours or more per day writing or utilizing a social media platform, you are at a higher risk of being able to fall within the realm of experiencing issues with depression and anxiety," Doby said.
What's scary is that research shows we're already above the national average of 3 1/2 hours on social media. He says that overexposure leads us to think our own lives aren't that great and the consequences could be dire.
"It just puts you in a position as to where you begin to cast judgment on your own life," Doby explained.
Even if it's just for entertainment, Doby said it's important to recognize any issues around social media habits.
"Am I taking my cellphone with me to dinner every single time I go to eat with my family? Is everybody utilizing that," Doby said.
If so, Doby suggested discussing a plan to establish or re-establish standards so the outcome is a positive one and not just a waste of time.
Doby also says there are great benefits to technology. You can interact with certain people and delve into different groups. However, too much screen time comes at the cost of human touch and having face-to-face conversations.
Contact Jane Monreal at jmonreal@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.