Social Media Addiction

  

How do you differentiate between social media usage as entertainment or as an addiction?

Image by Pixalkult from Pixabay

Switching between popular culture apps such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Tik Tok, Discord and Reddit to keep informed and connected is a prevalent activity for many. Statistics illustrate that approximately 42% of the world’s population use social media, and the average time spent on social media each day is two hours and twenty-two minutes (Mohsin, 2019). For some, their dependence on social media can become an issue. Bányai et al. (2017) acknowledge that there is not a universal consensus among researchers on what defines social media addiction. They developed a study of social media use of 16-year olds and promoted the use of the Bergen Social MediaAddiction Scale (BSMAS) as a valid scale to identify people who are at risk.

How is social media addiction developed?

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Social media can be beneficial or detrimental to users. Longstreet & Brooks (2017) acknowledge that people use social media for information and social entertainment. There are positive attributes at which the speed of the internet provides this. However, issues can arise when people feel they are unable to perform daily activities due to the desire to be connected with social media. In a study by Aksoy (2018), the participants suggest that social media addiction can start from a lack of friendship and socialisation opportunities and boredom. 

Research by Longstreet & Brooks (2017) highlight that life satisfaction is correlated with social media usage. Being stressed and unhappy about life can lead to increased usage. Dependence on social media is also linked to narcissism, low self-esteem and depression as users turn to social media to validate their self-worth. Casale, Rugai & Fioravanti (2018) discuss in their research how the fear of missing out (FOMO) and the fear of being negatively evaluated contribute to the issues surrounding social media addiction. This creates a habit of wanting to continually check social media sites for posts. 

What are the implications of social media addiction?

In this incredibly powerful and thought-provoking video, Sinek (2017) discusses the dangers of not using social media in moderation and how it can cause low self-esteem and depression. Interacting with social media can change chemical reactions in your brain. How that is linked to addiction, is the same process as people becoming addicted to alcohol, drugs and gambling is explained. It is a sobering watch as it continues with the negative implications for youth in the employment market.

Bányai et al. (2017) utilised Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale to assess students sense of self-worth and self-acceptance. They also engaged participants of the research with the Center of Epidemiological Studies Depression-Scale. This scale is not used to diagnose depression but is useful for assessing levels of depressive indicators. People struggling with social media addiction may present with similar behaviours as those with other forms of addiction (Casale et al. 2018). This can include changes in mood or tolerance, withdrawal, salience and conflict.     

How can social media addiction be managed?

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Parents should be encouraged to acknowledge the dangers of social media addiction and to take heed of what the research is offering. Developing good digital hygiene for children at a young age would be advantageous at setting the scene for the future. Introducing to and providing children with a variety of activities including, sports, adventure and art to enable them to develop interests away from social media could prevent the lack of socialisation that leads to addictions forming. Parents can set boundaries around use and monitor their children’s social media usage with free content-control software. 

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

There are ways to assist people at risk of, or suffering from, social media addiction. The assessment scales mentioned in this article are very user-friendly and able to be accessed by parents and teenagers themselves. Schools and educators can get involved by using the BSMAS to identify students at risk of social media addiction and then access intervention programmes, counselling and cognitive-behavioural therapy for those involved (Bányai et al. 2017).

Social media should not be considered dangerous. However, the way in which social media is used can be detrimental to a minority of users. Parents can assist by taking an interest and responsibility for their children’s social media usage. This can lay the foundations for good online practices and may prevent addiction. Teenagers should have a balance of real-life with on-line activities. Assistance is available for people with social media addiction.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

References

Aksoy, M. (2018). A Qualitative Study on the Reasons for Social Media Addiction. 

              European Journal of Educational Research, 7(4),861–865. 

               https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.7.4.861

  

Bányai, F., Zsila, A., Király, O., Maraz, A., Elekes, Z., Griffiths, M., …Demetrovics, Z. 

              (2017). Problematic Social Media Use: Results from a Large-Scale Nationally 

              Representative Adolescent Sample. PLoS ONE, 12(1), e0169839. 

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0169839

Casale, S., Rugai, L., & Fioravanti, G. (2018). Exploring the role of positive 

              metacognitions in explaining the association between the fear of missing out

              and social media addiction. Addictive Behaviors, 85, 83–87.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.05.020

Golbeck, J. (2017, September 26). Are you a Social Media Addict? [Web log post]. 

              Retrieved from

https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/your-online-secrets/201709/

are-you-social-media-addict

  

Medscape, (n.d.). Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). 

              Retrieved from http://img.medscape.com/pi/emed/ckb/psychiatry/285911

-1335297-1859039-1859099.pdf

Mohsin, M. (2019, March 7). 10 Social Media Statistics You Need to Know in 2019 

             [Infographic] [Web log post]. Retrieved from

              https://au.oberlo.com/blog/social-media-marketing-statistics

Norton (n.d.). Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale. Retrieved from

https://wwnorton.com/college/psych/psychsci/media/rosenberg.htm

Longstreet, P., & Brooks, S. (2017). Life satisfaction: A key to managing internet & 

              social media addiction. Technology in Society, 50, 73–77. 

              https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2017.05.003

  

Sinek, S. (2017, March 30). The Dangers of Social Media Addiction. [Streaming video].  

             Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPmNf362_K0&list=

             RDYPmNf3 62_K0&start_radio=1&t=66