Anti-Social Media A Sign of the Times
As it stands, there’s still no official medical definition of Social Media Addiction, but it is a proposed diagnosis related to the overuse of social media and believe us when we say, it is a very real problem. Article by Claire Claire Havey Havey Article by
H
ave you ever thought about how much time you spend using social media? How often does your mind instigate you unlocking your phone and checking social media, just to see what you might have missed in the last 10, 20, 30 minutes? Would you agree that this process is worryingly similar for a smoker, someone who is physically and psychologically dependent on nicotine? A smoker will think about smoking, and will then subsequently feel the need to smoke, and will therefore light a cigarette. The same can be said for someone whose habit is social media. But does this mean they’re an addict? What is Addiction? The NHS defines addiction as “not having control over doing, taking or using something to the point where it can be harmful to you.” When you think of an ‘addict’, what does your mind conjure? Do you see someone using Heroin? Or do you see someone using social media? They’re both addicts, but only if they’ve both lost the power of choice to be able to stop. Addiction is a very powerful word and one that can be used quite frivolously and, in some cases, unnecessarily. If a person cannot participate in their everyday life whatsoever because instead, they are or would prefer to be on social media, then they are addicted.
04
To understand whether or not social media has taken over a person’s everyday life, you need to observe how they act and behave in the -quite probably short amount of time- when they’re not on social media. The Warning Signs of Social Media Addiction We have learned that there are definite signs to look for to identify whether someone has an addiction to social media. You might even want to reflect on these signs for yourself. The seven most visible signs of social media addiction are: • Spending excessive amounts of time on social media • Unreasonable anxiety or irritation if the immediate ability to use social media is delayed • Corresponding anxiety or irritation when social media use is blocked or otherwise unavailable • Increasing social isolation in favour of spending time on social media • Poor work or school performance or non-attendance as a result of spending time instead on social media • Increasing anxiety, insomnia and unexplainable mood swings when not on social media • Lack of interest in relationships, especially marriage and sexual. We believe that a person whose social media usage is so excessive that it interferes with what is considered ‘normal
