Social Media Addiction New Age Malison? - Meteorio

Social Media Addiction New Age Malison?

| 2 years ago

Social media addiction, is it true? The other day my friend was asking me. I replied to her, “Yes, it is true.” Most of us suffer from social media addiction. On a daily basis, we use social media than a face to face conversations with people. In real life, talking to strangers is very scary, but a friend request of a stranger gets accepted easily.

Why are these double standards? Well, it’s simply talking to someone in the physical world that will not increase my followers. But accepting someone virtually the list of my followers will go up. I can show my family and friends look I have 10k followers. I am a celebrity. But all this on the cost of what? Is all this worth it? Doesn’t it lead to mental health problems? These questions we need to introspect. We don’t know knowingly or unknowingly how much harm we are going to suffer from. But don’t worry, I’m going to fill you in with all information. So let’s find out more.

You might be wondering what makes mental health-related and social media connected? Everything that we do, see, feel or say affects our mental health. But before I move forward and tell you about social media addiction, I will tell you about addiction.

Addiction

Addiction is a constant, issue portrayed that has emotional urges to use it, proceeded regardless of destructive outcomes, and enduring changes in the brain. It is considered both a complex mind problem and a psychological sickness.

When this enters the mind, it can make people fail to keep a grip on their motivations. At the point when somebody fosters a fixation, the mind hungers for the prize. This is because of the serious incitement of the mind’s award framework.

Also read: Children Should Get A Smartphone At What Age?

Addiction once formed it’s difficult to let go of. We want to do those things more and there is a great urge for it. Addictions can affect us a lot. If not improved it can hamper our relationships, family life, work-life, and also our social life. An addiction can happen quickly and is difficult to get back to normal.

We all need to be very careful. With Innovations and technology, we don’t only have drug addictions and alcohol addictions there are several other addictions such as social media addictions, television addictions, video game addictions, gambling addictions, and so on. The list is endless.

You may be wondering about social media addiction, isn’t it? It’s new but this addiction is going to stay with us for a long time.

Social Media Addiction

Regardless of whether you utilize online media to associate with co-workers, friends, and family, watch recordings, or essentially “kill time,” the demand for this distraction has risen more throughout the last decade.

Social Media Addiction

This is particularly the situation in kids and teens, just as youthful to moderately aged grown-ups.

Things being what they are, how does an apparently innocuous side interest transform into a “compulsion”?

Like different sorts of conduct addictions, making use of web-based media can impact one’s brain in horrible ways. You might utilize online media impulsively. You can turn out to be so familiar with looking through posts, pictures, and recordings that it affects different aspects of your life.

Takeaway

Researchers gauge that up to 10 percent of individuals in the United States have an online media addiction. Be that as it may, because of how normal web-based media use is, by and large, the number of people who have web-based media addiction might be higher.

Not every person who is using online media will fall into the trap of addiction. Since this action is turning out to be more open to more people, however, more people might lead towards dependence on online media sooner or later in their lives.

This is a cause of concern, isn’t it? You must be thinking how can this even be possible? Don’t worry, I will fill you with the right information. As it is better to take precautions than repent over it.

Social Media Addiction will be around for a lifetime. Every day new innovation makes it more attractive.

Also read: Love in the Time of Tinder

Social Media Addiction, But How Come?

While web-based media can seem thoughtless and loosening up fun, it really significantly affects your mind.

At whatever point you sign on to your most loved applications, dopamine signals in your mind rise. These synapses are elated with joy.

At the point when you experience more dopamine successively using web-based media, your mind recognizes this action as a remunerating one that you should rehash. Such a response might be more felt at whatever point you make, your very own post and gain good input.

The good sentiments experienced during web-based media clients are just brief. The manner in which your mind participates in this encouraging feedback is additionally seen in different addictions.

Subsequently, as the vibe of great dopamine wears off, you’ll return to the source (for this situation, online media) for additional.

At times, online media can be a much-needed diversion assuming that you’re disengaged because of work or an ailment. The more you draw on, the more your mind will let you know that this is an action that can assist with decreasing dejection (which may not really be the situation, really).

Key Information About Social Media Usage
Most of us love social media and that’s the truth. But it’s important to be careful while using it. Otherwise, you can get into serious problems and this can cause havoc in your life. These are some of the essential things we need to keep in mind while handling social media

  1. Reframe from posting personal and private photos and details.
    I know we want to show off our travel tickets and also the beautiful holidays we are in immediately. But you can get into serious problems. There was an incident where the family posted pictures as soon as they reached holiday destination and when they were holidaying their house got ransacked. The robbers mentioned that they found out through social media that the family had gone on holiday. You can post those pictures once you back from your holidays that is safer to do. Also, switch off your tracking details on social media, it’s very unsafe too.
  2. Keep updating your password and also privacy settings on
    There are many hackers, it’s better to be safe than cry over it later. Keep updating your password every three months and also keep a very strong password and see that your privacy settings are such that if any unidentified person logs into your account from an unknown device you get the notification immediately. I’m saying this due to experience. In November, my social media account somebody logged in with a different device and I had kept the privacy settings and I got the notifications immediately and the settings didn’t allow the person to hack my account. Be very careful.
  3. Lots of Fake News
    Social media has plenty of fake news. Do not forward any posts unless it’s from an expert or professional. As fake news can cause a lot of problems. Always verify the sources and then forward.
  4. Be positive
    There will be sometimes negative comments, but don’t react. The person giving negative comments shows their personality and if someone tells us something we don’t become that person. But at the same time see that those people don’t cross the limits. If they cross the limits give a reply in such a way that it doesn’t show negativity and you are shown as an assertive and non-judgemental person.
  5. A site that is beneficial
    Don’t follow the race of being on popular sites, but that site could be not beneficial for you. There are social media sites that are far more beneficial but are not popular. Why do we need to follow the herd? We need to pick up sites that don’t harm us physically and mentally too.

I hope you will keep this in mind when you are using social media. Remember your safety and control are in your hands.

Facts About Social Media

We often don’t want to attend social parties when we are called and find it boring. But we all want to be part of social media networks. As that counts as cool among our peers, isn’t it? You may be thinking why I’m making such a big deal about social media? Then let me give you some heads up over the facts of social media. Are you ready?

Facts of Social Media
  • Around the world about billion people use social media
  • It is being found that 210 million individuals have social media addictions across the globe
  • Five hours of social media usage can lead to high rate of depressive symptoms
  • Single as well as young females has a higher rate of social media addictions
  • 71% of individuals sleep with their phone or keep their phone around them while sleeping
  • Teens are prone to checking their phone frequently compared to others
  • It is found out that about 50% use their social media while driving

Shocking, right? I’m sure most of you’ll be unaware of this?

Disadvantages of Social Media Addiction

Isn’t it shocking? Were you aware of this? Now I’m sure you want to know what are the cons of this type of addiction? Don’t worry, you will know about this too.

Social media addictions disadvantages are

  • Fall in self- esteem
  • Rise in loneliness and isolation
  • Increase in depression and anxiety
  • Social anxiety disorder increases
  • Sleep problems
  • Fall in physical activity
  • Disruption in work or school
  • Real-life, relationships begin to suffer
  • Decrease in empathy
Disadvantages of Social Media Addiction

We need to be very careful about this and this shows how we are affected to a greater extent

Also read: Relationships Problems Signs Your Relationship Is Not Working Anymore

Ways to Overcome Social Media Addiction

  • Erase your online media applications for your cell phone. While you can in any case get to them from your PC, keeping them off your phone might assist with decreasing the measure of time spent via online media in general.
  • Turn off your own phone during work, just as during school, dinners, and sporting exercises. You can likewise change the setting on every web-based media application so you can wind down specific warnings.
Ways to Overcome Social Media Addiction
  • Put away a specific measure of time devoted to online media each day. Turn on reminders to assist you in keeping one responsible.
  • Leave your phone, tablet, and PC out of your room.
  • Take up another side interest that is not innovation-related. Models incorporate games, workmanship, cooking classes, and then some.
  • Make it a highlight to see your loved ones in person whenever the situation allows.

Also read: Art Therapy Ideas That Rejuvenate Ones Life

We should remember life is not social media. It is only a small part of our life. The reality is very much different. What is shown on social media is what people want you to see and they don’t show the negative things of their life.

We all go through problems, but looking at social media, we feel that others are living a happy life and we are suffering a lot. Which is not true. You know, before clicking a happy family photo these people have fought? Do you know on these family trips, in reality, they all enjoyed separately and not as a family?

You aren’t even aware the car which people are standing around is actually not their car too. Do you know the people who are clicking pictures outside the elite eating joint have not eaten there and ate by the street side? So stop getting excited and glued to these posts. It’s more fake than reality in it.

Social media addiction can be prevented. We need to use its limits and that will help us not get addicted.

References

  1. Social Media Addiction: What It Is and What to Do About It

About Author

User profile picture

Dr. Pritika Gonsalves

(@Dr. Pritika Gonsalves)

Hi!! I'm Dr. Pritika Gonsalves. I'm a Child Psychologist by profession. But I love reading novels. I love to write about different cuisines, various cultures, traveling, mental health, etc. I feel my knowledge should be useful and aid the other individuals in their lives too.

Popular topics

Health & Fitness Life style

Adverts *