Social Media Addiction

Social media addiction: causes and consequences

According to experts, using social media can become an addiction, with the same negative effects that come with any other addiction: anxiety, reliance, irritation, loss of self-control, loneliness, etc.

Low self-esteem, personal discontentment, melancholy, and even lack of affection are some of the key factors that contribute to social media addiction.

Social media addiction has historically been linked to young adults between the ages of 16 and 24. According to experts, teenagers are most vulnerable due to the developing addictions for three main reasons: their propensity for impulsivity, their demand for a large and expanding social impact, and finally, their need to reinforce their group identity. However, older age groups are also likely to form an addiction on the use of these applications and platforms due to the development of newer and more alluring social media platforms. Due to their ease of access and lack of cost, studies have shown that social media sites like Facebook and Twitter can be more addictive than drugs and alcohol.

“Dopamine loop”

Because using social media causes the brain’s reward system to release the “feel-good” chemical dopamine, it can cause physical and psychological addiction. A neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger between neurons, dopamine plays a role in both physiological and neurological processes.

The social media addiction has been compared to a cocaine rush. Users of cocaine briefly feel euphoric effects before the drug becomes easily addictive. Similar dopamine releases in the brain from social media can produce the same short-term euphoria cocaine users seek. It has been demonstrated that social media likes, comments, and shares can cause an addiction like a cocaine euphoria.

Effects of social media dependence can include:

• FOMO – People who are always online and monitoring their newsfeeds experience actual FOMO, which is frequently what drives them to become addicted to social media.
• Stress and Frustration – Getting frustrated when social networks go down or internet access is restricted or interrupted.
• Fixated on the phone – Constantly monitoring social media, which could obstruct regular social interactions.
• Excessive risk-taking – Using social media in perilous circumstances, as when driving.
• Avoiding in-person interactions – Preferring to communicate with friends and relatives via social media as opposed to in-person.
• The pressure to share – Constantly feeling the need to communicate about commonplace matters.

Social media  addiction increases melancholy, anxiety, and loneliness

While loneliness, anxiety, and depression may cause a person to seek out less social connections and spend more time on social media, this can create a vicious cycle in which the person spends a lot of time online and feels more alone, anxious, and sad as a result.

As social beings, we require social contacts for optimal development. Surprisingly, online feedback, such as likes and comments from people who are not nearby, can imitate social interactions.

As a result, a person who uses social media excessively may become even more cut off from actual interactions with other people in the real world.

A person’s view of reality can also be distorted by excessive social media use when they begin comparing their life to those of others. Social media typically only highlights users’ triumphs, creating an impossible standard of success for others to live up to or match.

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Advice on how to stay away from the traps of social media addiction

As with other addictions, prevention is preferable to treatment. There are some straightforward actions that may be taken in this regard to significantly reduce the excessive usage of social media that breeds dependence. The following are some of the best:

• Shorten the distance between connections Set a minimum of 15 minutes between connections consciously. Starting at 5 minutes, you can gradually raise this quantity.
• Put the phone in another room: At important times of the day (breakfast, lunch, and supper), put your phone away and actively engage in interactions with others.
• Turn off push notifications: They can keep you from paying attention to what is going on in your immediate environment. You’ll be able to concentrate more on those around you if you turn them off rather than on your phone.
• Turn your phone to silent mode and, to minimize temptation, stop using it as a watch or an alarm.
• Look for wholesome social media substitutes: Establish a daily minimum for fully offline activities like sports, reading, or music listening.
• Go out with friends rather than staying home alone: Increase your participation in social activities that require you to interact with others in person outside of the home.
• Organize your phone: Delete any superfluous WhatsApp groups and apps.
• Seek professional assistance: Behavioral change is possible and can be aided by a qualified counsellor.

Evidently, research shows that restricting social media use is best for mental health, and implementing some of these methods for establishing boundaries can lead to a psychological improvement. It is advised to seek professional counseling in order to live a more happy and fulfilling life if you as an individual feel overwhelmed in your attempts to overcome social media addiction.

Here are few certified therapists who you can get in touch and book a therapy session with:

Digna Patel

Hal M.

Lynda Pabari