Social media has become such a common part of our day-to-day lives that many of us don’t think twice about checking things like Twitter, Instagram or Facebook several times a day. But for some, habitual social media use can quickly develop into a dangerous and destructive addiction. If your social media habits feel excessive, here’s what you need to know.
The signs
“One of the first signs of an addiction is when something starts to have a negative impact on your social, emotional and mental functioning,” says Johannesburg-based psychologist Coen Jacobs. He cites the following potential signs that you may be a social media addict:
- Spending less time interacting with people and having fewer real-life relationships – choosing to interact virtually instead.
- Believing that social media is the only space in which you can experience a sense of belonging through the platforms, groups and pages of which you are a part.
- Having disrupted or irregular sleeping patterns because you’re online late at night, or even during the course of the night.
- Becoming overly preoccupied with social media, with your thought processes becoming increasingly obsessive.
- Experiencing feelings of irritation or frustration when you can’t access social media or are unsuccessful in your attempts to reduce your use of social media.
- Finding that social media starts to affect your self-esteem or your sense of self-worth.
- Using social media to avoid dealing with challenges or difficult situations.
The side effects
There are many side effects to this particular addiction, and they can be a bit more serious than you might initially anticipate. “Forming online connections may leave you feeling uncomfortable with face-to-face interactions,” explains Coen, “and avoiding real-life situations might cause you to start losing friends.”
Studies have also shown that heavy social media use might be associated with increased levels of anxiety, depression, ADHD and other psychological problems. Pegging your value on the likes, comments and feedback you receive can be mentally and emotionally harming. Social media platforms are not unaware of this, and Instagram is currently running a trial in Australia where it is removing the number of likes a post receives so that users no longer feel pressured by this feedback. The trial will likely extend to Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Ireland, Italy and Brazil in the future, and may become permanent.
The solutions
“Start by taking small steps to reduce your usage of social media,” advises Coen. “Don’t put your phone on your bedside table when you go to bed, and put it away when you’re sitting at the dinner table or when you’re studying or working.” Try turning off your notifications too, so that you aren’t prompted to check your platforms all the time.
If you really struggle to reduce your social media usage and if it becomes detrimental to your studying and your social life, Coen says that it might be necessary for you to unsubscribe to certain networks, or even close your accounts. As with other addictions, you might ultimately need to seek professional support to help you deal not only with the symptoms, but also the cause of your addiction. A psychologist who specialises in cognitive behavioural therapy should be able to help you.
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