Social Media Addiction: What It is and How to Cut It Back

 

Like addictive substances, social media content and the like can cause the release of the hedonic chemical dopamine. This may explain why some people report that they are addicted to these platforms. Social media giants such as Facebook, Tiktok, Twitter, and YouTube are pouring billions of dollars into advertising and hiring engineers who are paying to make their content more addictive. These sites also track your activity and customize your feed to show you the posts you're most likely to see, watch, or comment on.

Social media addiction is a serious problem that falls into the category of behavioral addiction. The term refers to excessive reliance on certain activities that have side effects. If your online habits become obsessive or interfere with your ability to lead a normal and healthy life, you may need to treat your social media addiction.

Posting, sharing, or liking something online will increase your dopamine. The limbic brain is flooded with dopamine on every hit, so the same thing happens when someone takes an addictive substance. Chemical hooks are a real part of drug addiction, but other behavioral and process addictions such as gambling, sex, and internet addiction are less realistic, even though they don't contain chemicals. Studies show that  social media addicts experience true psychological withdrawal symptoms when they stop using social media.

Let's take a look at some warning signs for people who spend a lot of time online. If you or anyone you know applies to the following explanations, it is worth considering participating in a social media addiction rehab.

1. You log in very often and waste your time on unproductive browsing. Checking social media first thing in the morning and keeping it checked all day can be a potential treatment for social media addiction. Social media  is not harmful in nature, but it does increase the opportunity cost. Every moment you spend on social media is a time that may have been better spent  elsewhere, including socializing in the real world.

2. You constantly check your notifications and update your status. This kind of compulsive behavior shows a strong desire to get attention, and social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram have very sophisticated ways  to do this. Breaking the cycle of obsession with notifications and updates can be difficult, but not being able to do so indicates that you may be a social media addict.

3. Fear of FOMO (FOMO). FOMO has been around for much longer than social media, but sites like Facebook and Instagram enhance the feeling that others are having more fun or living a better life than you. Seems to be there. The idea of ​​missing something can hurt self-esteem, cause anxiety, and further promote the use of social media. With FOMO, you can  pick up your smartphone every few minutes to check for updates and relentlessly respond to all alerts. Even if you take risks while  driving, miss a night's sleep, or prioritize social media interactions over real-world relationships.

4. Depression and anxiety. People need personal contact to be mentally healthy. Nothing can reduce stress and make you feel faster or more effectively than making eye contact with someone who cares about you. The more you prioritize social media interactions over personal relationships, the higher your risk of developing or exacerbating mood disorders such as anxiety and depression.

5. Self-absorption. Sharing endless selfies and all your inner thoughts on social media creates unhealthy egocentrism and keeps you away from real connections.

It is important to note that you may not be able to accurately assess whether social media is a problem for you. Therefore, it may be beneficial to use self-distance techniques to assess the situation or seek feedback from someone who has a credible opinion.

If you want to do more  and spend less time on social media, here are some ways to  limit your use of social media. When prevention is started early, it is always easy to get rid of addiction. By following some of these steps, you can achieve a healthy level of use of social media. Here are some simple steps to combat or curb social media addiction if you are using  too many apps. 

- Remove social media apps from your smartphone to reduce the overall time spent on social media
- Turn off your mobile phone during work,  school, dining and recreational activities.
- Adjust the settings of each social media app so that you can turn off certain notifications
- Set aside a certain amount of time each day for social media
- Turn on the timer and take responsibility for the time you spend online
- Keep your cell phone, tablet or computer outside the bedroom
- Take up a new non-technical hobbies such as sports, arts and education
- Whenever possible, it's a good idea to meet friends and family in person
- Take regular breaks from social media to find the basis of real life

Final Thoughts. If you notice some of the signs of social media addiction, be sure to set  clear boundaries for how much or how often you log on and the time you spend on those platforms. Remember that these platforms are designed to attract and hold attention. Therefore, try to control their use rather than letting these websites control you. In this way, social media can improve quality of life rather than reduce it.