Over the past decade, checking and scrolling through social media has become a popular pastime in America. While many people use social media as something to pass the time when they are bored, some individuals have become addicted to social media sites and engage in compulsive use. In fact, researchers estimate that 5-10% of Americans meet the criteria for social media addiction. To explain, social media addiction is a type of behavioral addiction. This involves an individual compulsively and obsessively using social media to the point of facing negative consequences in their everyday life.
While it is easy to explain what social media addiction is, it is harder to imagine what it might look like in real life. If you find yourself spending a lot of time thinking about and using social media, you may be wondering if you suffer from social media addiction. But how can you tell?
This recovery guide will outline exactly how to tell if you are addicted to social media and how to begin technology addiction recovery.
Whether you use social media to connect with friends, cure boredom, or watch funny videos, the popularity of this pastime has increased over the years.
This is especially true for children and teenagers, as well as young adults. But how does this seemingly harmless activity turn into an addiction?
Social media addiction is a behavioral addiction. Like any behavioral addiction, abusing social media might influence your brain in harmful ways. When you begin to compulsively and excessively use social media, it may begin to negatively impact other areas of your life.
While scrolling through social media is fun, it could harm your brain. To explain, when you log onto your favorite apps, your brain releases dopamine. Dopamine comes from neurotransmitters that are associated with pleasure.
Over time, your brain will associate social media usage with pleasure. Because this release of dopamine is only temporary, you will begin to crave more, causing you to turn to social media for feelings of pleasure. As a result, you may begin to crave and obsess about using social media, which is the first step towards social media addiction.
It is common to use technology habitually, but how can you tell when your social media usage becomes addictive?
If you are concerned that you are struggling with social media addiction, ask yourself the following questions:
If you find yourself answering yes to any of the above questions, you might be dealing with an addiction to social media. Speaking with a recovery coach is the best way to identify whether you fit the criteria for social media addiction. When working with a recovery coach for social media addiction, they will help you find positive coping mechanisms to build a strong foundation of technology recovery.
While many people can use social media frequently with no issues, individuals suffering from social media addiction become consumed with the need to engage on social media apps. Fortunately, addiction to social media is a treatable condition. Some people might be able to recover from their addiction by reducing screen time on their own. However, individuals with severe addictions to the internet should seek professional help.
Severe cases of social media addiction must be treated by a technology recovery professional. Recovery coaching for internet addiction help their patients learn how to find personal happiness without relying on receiving likes and follows on social media sites. Typically, individuals will go on a “digital detox”, a period in which a person will significantly reduce their time spent on the internet. This helps patients to restore their focus on social interaction in the physical world, reducing their dependency on social media apps.
Michael Herbert, The Recovery Guide, has more than 30 years of experience working closely with individuals and families dealing with addiction and recovery issues. He is a seasoned Coach and can help you and your family establish long-term goals and access the tools you need for continued abstinence and recovery for the entire family. Get in touch with Michael today at 561-221-7677 to schedule an appointment.
