However, multiple studies have found a strong link between heavy social media and an increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts. We need the companionship of others to thrive in life, and the strength of our connections has a huge impact on our mental health and happiness. Being socially connected to others can ease stress, anxiety, and depression, boost self-worth, provide comfort and joy, prevent loneliness, and even add years to your life. On the flip side, lacking strong social connections can pose a serious risk to your mental and emotional health. Take note of how much time you’re spending on social media and how it makes you feel.

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Our writers and reviewers are experienced professionals in medicine, addiction treatment, and healthcare. AddictionResource fact-checks all the information before publishing and uses only credible and trusted sources when citing any medical data. Treatment for social media addiction encompasses various strategies aimed at addressing the underlying causes and helping individuals regain control of their online behaviors. Social media platforms provide anonymity that can be used to intentionally harm others, leading to severe mental health consequences, including suicide.

Contributing Factors to Social Media Addiction

Moving in tribes safeguards against predators, optimizes scarce resources and facilitates pair bonding. Our brains release dopamine when we make human connections, which incentivizes us to do it again. The brain responds to this increase by decreasing dopamine transmission — not just back down to its natural baseline rate, but below that baseline. Repeated exposure to the same or similar stimuli ultimately creates a chronic dopamine-deficit state, wherein we’re less able to experience pleasure.

Keep track of all the great memories and positives in your life—as well as those things and people you’d miss if they were suddenly absent from your life. If you’re more prone to venting or negative posts, you can even express your gratitude on social media—although you may benefit more from private reflection that isn’t subject to the scrutiny of others. Many of us access social media purely out of habit or to mindlessly kill moments of downtime. But by focusing on your motivation for logging on, you can not only reduce the time you spend on social media, you can also improve your experience and avoid many of the negative aspects. Sharing endless selfies and all your innermost thoughts on social media can create an unhealthy self-centeredness and distance you from real-life connections.

1. Social media addiction can also be fueled by social comparison and validation-seeking behaviors.
2. Much like any behavior change, adopting healthier media consumption habits requires time, dedication and self-reflection.
3. This can include receiving hurtful comments or messages, being excluded from online groups, or having embarrassing content shared without permission.
4. Teens or adolescents are the most vulnerable to this type of addiction, but other age groups can also be at risk depending on how they use different social media platforms.
5. While social media first started as a way to connect with friends and family, it’s since evolved into a coveted hobby used by all age groups.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to a mental health professional for help with this type of addiction. That said, there are practical steps you can take right now to reduce your dependence on social media. You can get started right now by taking a free, psychologically validated survey to assess your level of addiction. Those with problematic social media addiction scores at the start of the intervention showed a mean reduction of 26%, and scores for participants who began with clinical social media addiction scores fell by 35%. These reductions brought both groups into a healthy range of social media use by the conclusion of the intervention. We are a pair of researchers who investigate how social media affects the mental health of young people.

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You can become so accustomed to scrolling through posts, images, and videos that it interferes with other areas of your life. Nothing reduces stress and boosts your mood faster or more effectively than eye-to-eye contact with someone who cares about you. The more you prioritize social media interaction over in-person relationships, the more you’re at risk for developing or exacerbating mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. In conclusion, social media addiction is a real problem that Does Alcohol Dehydrate You Symptoms and Prevention Tips affects many people worldwide.

While social media allows us to form and maintain bonds, share information, and be entertained, excessive use of it could lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, and FOMO. Many studies have found that habitual usage may result in addiction and negatively affect social behavior. It can also deplete productivity and lower performance and is linked to poor physical health. It’s worth remembering that behavioural addictions, like those to substances, often occur alongside other mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, suggesting that vulnerability may be multifaceted. It’s important for parents and caregivers to monitor their children’s social media use and educate them about healthy habits around technology consumption.

Many people turn to their phones and social apps because scrolling through them takes their minds off things, even when done mindlessly. However, the compulsive use of social apps for someone with social media addiction is not just about relaxation or mindfulness fun. Social media addiction is the obsessive use and focus on social media websites and apps, even though the use causes negative consequences such as relationship issues, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Social media is in most cases free, readily available on modern devices, and culturally accepted and integrated into society. There are important differences between excessive social media use and substances in terms of addiction. For example, withdrawal from the latter is often physically unpleasant and sometimes dangerous without medical supervision.