Are You Addicted to Social Media?

A few months ago, a friend called me and she was almost hysterical. She was on the brink of a full blown anxiety attack and needed someone to talk to. After calming her down, I asked her a couple of questions and she revealed that her account had just been suspended on one of the popular social media sites because of an unintentional misdemeanor on her part and she felt her life was over. 

According to her, prior to this "grievous calamity", her number of likes were gradually being reduced by the algorithm of the site, a claim she could not really prove but believed without a doubt. This plus several attempts by hackers to take over her account were already causing her so much stress and anger. She further intimated that, she doesn't know what she is going to do for the next 21 days  which was the duration of her suspension. She was literally having withdrawal symptoms from Social media. When I pointed them out, she was shocked. Fortunately, we were able to work on few strategies to help her deal with it. 

As a coach, I have seen this particular issue come up in an increasing number of times with my clients and the recent global pandemic simply exacerbated the issue. So what is Social Media Addiction?

The US Addiction Center defines Social Media Addiction as a behavioral addiction that is driven by an uncontrollable urge to log on to or use social media, and devoting so much time and effort to social media that it impairs other important life areas. 

 Although Social Media Addiction is yet to be  universally recognized as a mental health issue, the signs and symptoms are definitely indicative of an addictive cycle. According to a Havard University study, the positive feedback received from social media produces and delivers dopamine (a pleasure neuro chemical in the brain) and the rush you get from the likes, comments and retweets actually rewires your brain to crave social media like how a cocaine Addict craves the next hit. Consequently, not having this rush produces withdrawal symptoms just like that of an addict, although most likely in lower levels. Eventually a cycle is formed where the individual builds their whole life around social media. 

Social media can be beneficial in a lot of ways but an over dependence on it can cause lots of harm. Lots of people use social media to escape from feelings of stress, loneliness, mental health issues and anxiety and although it may feel like mindless and harmless fun it usually ends up depening the  brains craving for the pleasure of the next dopamine hit. 

Some possible effects of social media addiction includes:

1. Low SELF-ESTEEM- brought about  by incorrect perceptions that others’ lives are “better” than yours.

2. The Fear of Missing Out (F.O.M.O) which  causes so much stress, anxiety, depression and even panic attacks. 

3. Disruption of your sleep patterns especially if you use social media deep into the night. 

4. Increased isolation, loneliness and a reduced ability to empathize because there is this feeling of being insulated from issues. 

5. A possible onset of social anxiety disorder

6. A decreased physical activity, which may affect your overall health or work because you start to believe that your social media "friends" are your real friends. 

Although it may sound and feel daunting, Social Media Addiction or over dependence can be corrected or resolved.  

How to Overcome Social Media Addiction. 

For every kind of Addiction the first step is 

1. Admission and Recognition 

If you don't believe you have a problem, a solution won't work for you. So the first step is to recognize and admit that you have a problem and you need help. The help may be professional or self applied depending on the extent of the dependence and if there are any damaging side effects. 

2. Figure out why you have the social media itch. 

Evaluate your behavior in relation to social media and try to figure out why you feel the need to keep going back. Are you compensating for something missing in your life? Friendships, relationships, loneliness, low self esteem, social awkwardness etc. The more you know, the easier it is to start your recovery process. 

3. Digital Detoxification 

Go Cold Turkey by deleting all social media apps from your phone or tablet. Give your mind a break from the endless cycle of updates and likes. It can be a week, month or even a year. This is to give you a chance to prioritize and reboot. 

4. Put Yourself on a Social Media Diet with Supervision. 

You can get a Therapist, Counselor, coach or a trusted friend to help you with this. Firstly prioritize your "needs" and delete all social media accounts except one or two. Deactivate all notifications. 

Secondly set and enforce a limit on how long you can spend on any site at a time. Lastly set a time table for how many times you can check your social media account in a week or month. This step requires utmost discipline and commitment to the recovery process. 

5. Practice Self Care

Start by including activities that can produce the same pleasure points that was created by using social media. Try exercising, meditation, hanging out with friends without your phones, visiting parks or talking walks etc.  You learn a new hobby, acquire a new skill or read a physical book. 

Social media Addiction can be very tough to break but with discipline, commitment and help from professionals, you can do it. Your life will become so much better when you are no longer living on social media. 

Written by 

Dr. Samuel Tinagyei, OD, 

Optometrist, Author and Certified Coach