Social Media is a worldwide takeover that everyone of all age ranges have access to. Is this always a good thing? Everywhere I go I see someone scrolling through their cell phone instead of looking what's in front of them...real life. In a survey asking "Can You Recall The Last Time Your Phone Was Not Within Ear Shot?" 1 out of 4 respondents couldn't recall a time in their day when their phone was not within reach or in the same room. I would say I also fall in this statistic. I have took notice that I am constantly on my phone, and not just me but just about everyone else I know. Family, friends, peers it seems everywhere I look a face is attached to a screen. Is it becoming a problem? Hi my name is Jasmine and I'm an social media addict.
So can social media be a real addiction? I can spend numerous hours on my phone throughout the night scrolling through twitter, instagram, snapchat updates, or falling down the youtube rabbit hole. This has caused many sleepless nights before having a long day of school or work. Was it worth it? Sometimes yes, there's times I find it hard to fall asleep just laying in bed in silence. Scientifically social media the opposite of the solution to a good night's sleep. I seem to have a dependency to it through my own anxieties.
There is actually a term used for those who have a issue overusing social media known as problematic social media use. This is defined as a proposed form of psychological or behavioral dependence on social media platforms, similar to gaming disorder, Internet addiction disorder, and other forms of digital media overuse. Due to the effect that it has on the brain, social media is addictive both physically and psychologically. According to a new study by Harvard University, self-disclosure on social networking sites lights up the same part of the brain that also ignites when taking an addictive substance. The reward area in the brain and its chemical messenger pathways affect decisions and sensations
If you’re worried that someone may be at risk of developing an addiction to social media, ask yourself these six questions:
Does he/she spend a lot of time thinking about social media or planning to use social media?Does he/she feel urges to use social media more and more?Does he/she use social media to forget about personal problems?Does he/she often try to reduce use of social media without success?Does he/she become restless or troubled if unable to use social media?Does he/she use social media so much that it has had a negative impact on his/her job or studies?
If you answered “yes” to a more than three of these questions, then you may have or be developing a social media addiction. As a precaution, that person should engage in a digital detox; a period of time during which someone significantly reduces the time spent or abstains from using electronic devices such a smartphones or computers. Will I be doing that? Aren't you looking at a screen right now?
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