Social media can be broadly defined as computer programs and websites that allow users to communicate and share opinions, information, photos videos, etc. on the internet, especially social networking websites. Social media addiction is a behavioral disorder which is characterized by excessive and compulsive use of social media platforms. It is important to understand this condition, as it is a psychological dependence on social networking sites to the extent that it interferes with the individual’s daily routines. Addressing social media addiction is crucial because it can lead to many negative impacts on a person’s life, especially mental health and overall well-being. Excessive social media usage has been found to be associated with anxiety and depression. As real-life social interactions are impaired, the individual may feel socially isolated and lonely. Addressing this condition helps individuals regain control over their lives, improve their physical and mental health, and foster healthy relationships.
In this article, we will discuss the causes, symptoms, signs, effects, treatment options, and prevention strategies of social media addiction.
What Is Social Media Addiction?
According to research done by the Psychology division of Nottingham Trent University, social media addiction is defined as a behavioral addiction that is similar to substance-related addiction. It is characterized by excessive and compulsive use of social media and an uncontrollable urge to log in and use social media platforms. This is enough to disrupt one’s life, negatively affect health and overall well-being, and ruin relationships.
Differentiating social media addiction from high social media use is important because addiction is a debilitating condition that is harmful to an individual’s overall health and well-being, disrupting his or her daily life. Whereas high social media use is easily reversible and doesn’t disturb a person’s life, although it has some negative consequences from excessive use of social media platforms.
Social Media Addiction Statistics 2024
- According to DataReportal statistics on social media addiction, there were 5.07 billion social media users worldwide at the start of April 2024, equating to 62.6% of the total global population. Social media users have continued to increase over the past year, with 259 million new users joining social media.
- Data from GWI reveals that a typical social media user actively uses an average of 6.7 different media platforms each month and spends an average of 2 hours and 20 minutes per day using networking sites.
- According to PrioriData, Facebook remains the largest social media platform, with over 3.15 billion monthly active users.
- Mobile devices account for 98% of social media usage time, while desktop usage is only 2%.
- Regarding gender, there are 51.6% female users and 48.4% male users globally.
- The majority of social media users (59%) are aged between 18 and 34.
Research on social media addiction has increased significantly over the past decade and studies the psychological, social, and neurological impacts on individuals. While research is progressing, more longitudinal studies with large sample sizes and diverse populations are needed to understand the long-term effects of social media addiction successfully.
What Makes Social Media Addictive?
Online platforms and tools such as social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn, photo and video sharing sites like Instagram and YouTube, microblogging sites like Twitter, and other interactive applications and websites allow people to create, share, and interact with content and each other.
People may use social media quite often and not have an addiction. Therefore, regular use of social media, use of multiple digital media, and enjoying them per se does not make it an addiction. Many individuals may use it to create social connections, for academic and occupational purposes, and to keep up with news, including gossip. However, if it affects a person physically, mentally, and emotionally, the extent to which it interferes with one’s life makes it an addiction.
There are many causes of social media addiction:
Psychological Factors
The need for validation is a significant psychological factor that contributes to social media addiction. Users may constantly seek approval from others in the form of likes, comments, and shares. The anxiety of being left out of trends and social interactions may lead the individual to use social media frequently to stay connected. Fear of missing out can increase your need to fit in and be accepted by peer groups, causing peer pressure.
Biological Factors
Social media addiction is influenced by the release of dopamine and other neurotransmitters. They play a pivotal role in reinforcing addictive behaviors. When a person gets likes and comments, the brain’s reward system releases dopamine. This creates more pleasure, which reinforces the behavior, making them crave more. Immediate feedback, like notifications and messages, also triggers dopamine release, which makes the user check frequently for such feedback. Dopamine addiction symptoms include craving for validation, constant checking, and withdrawal symptoms like anxiety and depression when unable to access social media. These may indicate how social media can hijack our brain’s dopamine system, causing addictive behaviors.
Engaging in social media temporarily boosts serotonin levels, making users regulate their moods and feel happier. Social media use can also release endorphins, which reduce stress and create a sense of well-being. The interplay of neurotransmitters creates a cycle of reward and reinforcement. This makes it a challenge to reduce social media use, which leads to addictive behaviors.
Environmental Factors
The accessibility of social media platforms and the widespread availability of smartphones and computers make accessing social media easy and constant. Peer groups and friends using social media heavily can encourage you to engage in similar behaviors to stay connected.
Cultures that promote social media may cause the individual to feel compelled to rely on social media extensively.
Social Media Addiction Symptoms
Social media addiction may manifest in a variety of symptoms which can impact both your physical and mental health. These symptoms can be outlined into 3 categories.
Behavioral Symptoms
- Excessive Checking: Users often experience a strong urge to check social media frequently. They become preoccupied with such behaviors.
- Inability to Reduce Usage: Although they try to reduce usage, it becomes increasingly difficult.
- Neglect of Offline Responsibilities: Addiction to social media may lead to neglecting one’s personal and professional responsibilities. They may prioritize online interactions over real-life relationships and responsibilities.
Emotional Symptoms
- Anxiety: Users may experience anxiety and distress when unable to access social media.
- Depression: Constantly comparing yourself to others can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem. Exposure to cyberbullying and negative comments can have a significant impact on mental health, leading to depression.
- Irritation Linked to Social Media Overuse: Constant notifications can be distracting. Realizing the amount of time wasted on social media can irritate the user. Information overload can also overwhelm users and worsen irritability.
Physical Symptoms
- Sleep Disturbances: Sleep deprivation due to high usage, especially at night, can disrupt sleep patterns. This leads to poor sleep quality.
- Eye Strain: Increased screen time can lead to visual disturbances and even headaches due to eye strain.
Effects of Social Media Addiction
Social media use has become a ubiquitous part of our society. The number of users continues to increase, driven by easy internet access, increased usage of smartphones, and availability of popular social media platforms. Social media networking sites (SNS) are increasingly popular among teenagers and young people.
Research has shown that social media engagement has a positive impact to a certain extent, such as feelings of social connectedness. It enables users to communicate, collaborate, and form communities based on shared interests and activities. Some meet new friends or even life partners through social networks.
10 Reasons Why Social Media Is Bad
Addiction to social media has more negative consequences than positive ones. Some of these bad effects of social media include:
- Mental Health Problems: Anxiety and depression rates are increasingly high due to internet addiction. Poor self-esteem and loneliness are also seen to be linked.
- Reduced Productivity of the Individual: When time spent on social media is greater, it can detract the individual from studies, work, and other productive activities. Constant distractions can reduce focus and efficiency.
- Problems with Physical Health: A sedentary lifestyle can lead to cardiovascular diseases and obesity. Constant eye strain can cause visual problems.
- Problems with Sleep: Late night usage and excessive screen time can lead to insomnia and poor quality of sleep. Sleep deprivation and sleep pattern disruptions can make you tired during the day, which decreases productivity.
- Problems with Relationships: Social media impairs real-life social interactions, leading to feelings of loneliness and social isolation. Addicts may favor online engagement over social interaction, leading to relationship strain.
- Neglect Personal and Professional Responsibilities
- Cyberbullying: Social media increases exposure to harassment and negative interactions
- Privacy Concerns: Your personal information exposure can cause issues with privacy. Data breaches are also common.
- Financial Issues: Scams and addiction to online shopping can lead to financial problems
- Body Image Issues: Comparing yourself to others online can lead to low self-worth.
Does Social Media Affect Social Skills?
Yes, social media can affect social skills in many ways. When you rely on digital communication too much, face-to-face interactions will be reduced. This will negatively affect your social skills. The verbal as well as nonverbal communication skills will deteriorate as overuse of social media limits the opportunities to interact with others. Poor interpersonal relationships will make you less likely to share your feelings and understand others. Empathy will be lost with time.
Social media is a controlled environment. Real-life interactions can cause social anxiety as you are not used to face-to-face interactions much. The chances of misunderstandings and miscommunications are also higher as online communications lack the body language cues and tone of voice that happens in real-life communications. Your opportunities to resolve conflicts directly are also limited when you are addicted to social media.
Social Media Addiction in Teens
Online sharing helps many individuals stay in touch with friends and connect with new ones. It is more important for teenagers than for other age groups. This is because friendships help teens feel supported as well as form their identities.
Prevalence: A survey done in 2022 of 13–17-year-olds found that 35% of teens use at least 1 of the 5 social media platforms more than several times a day. The 5 social media platforms were Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube.
Unique symptoms of social media addiction in teens include:
- Preoccupation with online presence
- Mood swings
- Compulsive checking of social media
- Spending too much time on social media platforms often leads to neglect of schoolwork
- Increased FOMO
- Social withdrawal: prefer online interactions to real-life social interactions
- Secretive behaviors – becoming secretive about their activities, including hiding screens and passwords from parents.
Social media addiction in teens can lead to psychiatric conditions like depression and anxiety. They may deteriorate in academic performance due to distractions from social media use. Prolonged reliance on online communications can inhibit essential social skills like face-to-face communication and empathy.
TikTok Addiction
According to PrioriData, TikTok has surpassed 1 billion active users, becoming one of the fastest-growing social media platforms. When the usage becomes problematic in an individual’s life, it becomes an addiction.
How to Break an Addiction?
When considering solutions on how to break social media addiction, it is important to recognize the signs of social media addiction.
Here is a checklist on how to do a self-assessment to assess your gambling problem.
- Do you check social media several times an hour?
- Do you spend more time on social media than intended?
- Does social media affect your school, work, or daily routines and responsibilities?
- Are you neglecting important activities?
- Do you feel anxious or distressed when you are unable to use social media?
- Do you prefer online communication over face-to-face communication?
- Are you worried about the privacy of your data?
- Do you feel compelled to check social media?
If you answer ‘yes’ to many of the above, it may indicate problematic social media use and potential addiction.
Your friends and family can look out for the signs below if they suspect that you are becoming addicted to social media.
- Excessive screen time
- Neglecting responsibilities causes
- Mood swings
- Social withdrawal
- Sleep disturbance
- Secretive behaviors
- Displaying agitation when unable to use social media
Social Media Addiction Treatment Options
How to stop social media addiction is a challenging topic. Here are some practical strategies you can follow;
- Setting time limits: establish a time for social media use and stick to it. you can use apps and built-in features on your devices to set daily usage limits.
- Remove unnecessary apps
- Create a schedule—plan and allocate time for hobbies and offline activities like reading, gardening, etc.—to reduce the urge to use social media.
- Turn off notifications
Mindfulness and Self-Control Techniques
- Mindfulness techniques help you become more conscious of your social media usage patterns. Engaging in yoga and meditation will calm and relax your mind.
- Set goals: set achievable goals to reduce social media use. Celebrate progress once you reach that level of self-control
- Seeking support from friends, family, and support groups: talk to friends, family, or a counselor about your concerns.
Implementing these strategies can reduce social media addiction and lead to a healthy balance between online and offline activities.
Treatment Solutions
Now let us discuss the therapeutic solutions to social media addiction
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is an effective way to address social media addiction by helping users change their thoughts and behaviors related to social media use. CBT can be applied in the following order;
- Identifying triggers
- Challenging negative thoughts
- Setting goals
- Developing coping strategies
- Creating an action plan
- Monitoring progress
Counseling is an effective way to provide support, guidance, and strategies for managing problematic behaviors.
Rehabilitation Programs
- National US Programs
- Center for Human Technology raises awareness of the impact of technology and social media
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration ( SAMHSA) offers resources and a national helpline for individuals seeking help for mental health issues and addictions.
- Digital Detox Programs: Several organizations and wellness centers offer digital detox programs. These programs and retreats are designed to help users reduce their dependence on social media.
Technological Aids as a Treatment Option for Social Media Addiction
Several technological aids can help control social media addiction, such as:
| App usage trackers | Digital wellbeing tools | Focus apps |
| RescueTime | Built-in features on smartphones, allow one to set daily limits on app usage | block access during specified times to social media and other distracting websites |
| Moment | Ex: Android’s Digital well-being, Apple’s Screen time | Ex: Freedom, cold turkey |
What Are the Prevention Strategies for Social Media Addiction?
- Education and Awareness: Staying informed about the importance of digital well-being and the effects of social media addiction can empower you to make better choices rather than getting addicted to social media. Educating young people and the general public about healthy social media use is crucial to improving their mental health, social skills, and time management.
- Policy Recommendations: To help mitigate social media addiction, schools, and workplaces can implement a range of policy recommendations.
Ex: Integrating digital literacy and well-being programs into school curriculum - Scheduled Device-free Periods: Establish clear policies for cyberbullying and online harassment to promote a safe and supportive digital environment
Conclusion
Social media addiction is a growing concern, impacting both physical and mental health, productivity, and personal relationships. Teenagers are found to be affected more. The negative consequences of social media addiction include neglecting responsibilities, social withdrawal, poor sleep, eye strain, etc. Addressing this issue requires a multifaceted approach, including education, awareness, technological aids, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Supportive policies must be implemented in schools and workplaces. It is important to balance online activities and social media use with other offline activities so that you can maintain a healthy overall well-being. Therefore, if you think there may be a potential risk of social media addiction, seek help without delay.
