Social Media Addiction: An Introduction

 

Hi everyone, welcome to my blog!

As you probably know, social media has taken the world by storm, attracting many users across the world. 2.34 billion to be more precise (Statistica). However, did you know that millions of users are actually thought to be addicted?

Here’s a question for you…how much time do you spend on your social media accounts each day? Are they the first thing you check in the morning and the last thing you check at night? I, for one, am guilty!

Whether we be at home, at work, or even school or uni, we seem to spend countless hours on at least one social media platform. Sometimes, if we find one gets boring, we move to the next. Admit it…we’ve all done it!

Why is social media so addictive?

I think I speak for the majority when I say that we feel that urge to keep updated where social networks are concerned. It’s so tempting to check for likes on Facebook, upload photos to Instagram, or even keep posted with the latest Twitter feed. As users, we want more. It’s almost irresistible.

Let’s explore why…

Some researchers go as far to say that social media has the same effects as substances like alcohol and drugs. Mike Elgan claims in his Computerworld article that

“Social networking is engineered to be as habit- forming as crack cocaine”.

Studies suggest our brains experience pleasure from our Social media activity using a “reward- based system” (WIFR). It’s weird, I know! But all this psychological talk is really explaining how social media plays with our minds, effectively enticing us into addiction.

So, what should you look out for?

We seem to think there’s no harm in just checking our accounts, but there appears to be a fine line between keeping updated and addiction. It’s even made me question my social media habits.

Some of the symptoms consist of:

• Feeling the urge to return to your account immediately after coming away
• Sleep deprivation
• Low morale or impact on health
• Dedicating excessive amounts of time to social media alone on a daily basis
• Becoming distracted from daily life
• an increase in anxiety or depression levels

Checking social networks regularly is not considered addiction. However, when you “are not meeting the obligations of your everyday life”, you enter the boundaries of an “unhealthy addiction” according to Therapist Justine Froelker in a video interview.

With this in mind, it may be a good idea to evaluate your social media habits and see if this applies to you. I certainly will!

Keep updated with my blog and join me as I cover some of the other issues surrounding social media addiction and how web and mobile communications have impacted this.