Social Media Addiction

Key Takeaways:

• Social media addiction is characterized by excessive and compulsive use of social media sites, with consequences to real-world functioning and well-being.

• Social media addiction affects at least 5% of people worldwide, including 11% of adolescents. The effects may be particularly damaging in young people due to their developing brains.

• Professional treatment for social media addiction typically involves psychotherapy. Self-regulation strategies, parental monitoring, and other tools can be implemented alongside this as well for enhanced outcomes.

Understanding Social Media Addiction

Social media addiction is a behavioral addiction characterized by excessive and compulsive use of social media sites, which leads to significant impairments in life functioning and well-being. Users can become addicted to a variety of social media sites, particularly Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and other popular ones.^[1]

People with social media addiction not only spend long hours on social media sites each day, but they also engage in compulsive checking and experience anxiety when not online. This often leads to impaired real-world relationships, declined school or work performance, poorer mental health, and other functional consequences.^[1][2]

Is it a Recognized Condition?

Social media addiction is not officially recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th Edition, Text Revision; DSM-5-TR). However, many researchers and mental health agencies are starting to recognize the significance of problematic social media use, and there is growing evidence that this use involves many classic symptoms of addiction.^[1]

Is it the Same as Technology Addiction?

Social media addiction is not the same as technology addiction. Social media addiction falls underneath the broader category of technology addiction, which also includes addiction to online gaming, online gambling, pornography, online shopping, and internet browsing.

Prevalence

The prevalence of social media can be somewhat difficult to determine due to a lack of established diagnostic criteria. However, research using a validated tool in the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale showed that 5 to 25% of people globally meet the criteria for social media addiction, depending on the strictness of the cutoff scores.^[3]

Social Media Addiction Statistics

Using higher cutoff scores, the worldwide prevalence of social media addiction is 5%.

Other key social media addiction statistics are listed below:^[4][5]

• 11% of adolescents have problematic social media use.

• Among adolescents, girls (13%) showed higher problematic use than boys (9%).

• The average person uses social media for a little over two hours per day.

• Teenagers use social media on average from two to four hours per day.

• Over half of all drivers admit to checking social media while driving.

Social Media and “Dopamine Addiction”

One of the main reasons underlying social media addiction is the role of dopamine. Getting likes, viewing pictures, and other engagements on social media activate the brain’s reward system, which leads to a surge of dopamine and short-term pleasure. Over time, this leads you to want to check social media more and more often, because your brain will be looking for a reward.^[1][6]

The dopamine reward system is the same neurological reaction that occurs in substance use disorders, though dopamine addiction is not a real condition.

Symptoms of Social Media Addiction

There are several important signs and symptoms of social media addiction. Many of these relate to social media use itself, while others relate to the functional consequences and effects in everyday life.

The main signs of social media addiction are:^[3][4]

• Compulsively checking social media sites.

• Spending an excessive amount of time using social media.

• Spending a lot of time thinking about social media or planning how to use it.

• Strong urges or cravings to use social media more and more.

• Using social media to distract from stress or personal problems.

• Failed attempts to cut down on social media use.

• Anxiety, restlessness, or other withdrawal symptoms when not using social media.

• Neglecting important activities and obligations due to social media use.

• Negative consequences resulting from social media use, such as impairments in relationships, social interactions, work, school, and home obligations.

What Causes Social Media Addiction?

There are many possible causes of social media addiction. It is likely a combination of psychological, social, and technological factors, among others. Some of the main established risk factors that may increase the likelihood of social media addiction are listed below by category:^[1][2][3]

Psychological:

• Poor self-esteem.

• Stress.

• Loneliness.

• Anxiety (including social anxiety).

• Depression.

• Shyness.

• Narcissism.

Social/Environmental:

• Peer pressure.

• Self-comparison and feelings of inadequacy.

• Poor life satisfaction.

• Lower levels of real-life social connections and support.

• Greater levels of passive social media use (e.g., mindless scrolling) vs active (e.g., engaging with others).

Technological:

• Algorithm-driven content.

• Infinite scrolling.

• Personalized notifications.

Social Media Addiction and Young People

While social media addiction is harmful for everyone, the consequences are particularly damaging for young people. One of the main reasons for this is that the developing brain is much more influenced by external stimuli. Thus, excessive social media use at an early age may disrupt the normal development of the reward system, self-control, and other important brain functions.^[6]

This is highly important, given that more and more young people are experiencing problems with social media use today. This is highlighted by the following statistics:^[3][4]

• The average teen uses social media for over 3 hours per day.

• 51% of teens admit they use social media too much.

• More than 75% of these teens say it would be hard to give up social media.

• 36% of young people report constant contact with friends online.

• This rate is highest among 15-year-old girls at 44%.

In addition to negatively altering brain function, social media addiction in young people can lead to and/or increase the risk of many consequences, including:^[1][3][4][7]

• Worsened mental health.

• Peer pressure and feelings of inadequacy.

• Lack of sleep.

• Worsened academic performance.

• The formation of unhealthy or unrealistic views or beliefs.

• Cyberbullying.

• Exposure to online predators.

• Poor self-image

• Decreased attention span.

• Worsened interpersonal relationships.

• Eating disorders.

How Does Social Media Affect Mental Health?

Social media doesn’t always lead to poor mental health outcomes. However, excessive social media use or social media addiction increases the likelihood of many mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, loneliness, poor body image, and low self-esteem. It also causes disruptions in brain function that could further contribute to mental health problems.^[1][2]

In addition, social media may negatively affect mental health in other ways, such as lack of sleep, replacement for real-life social connections, and exposure to idealized lives.^[1]

Conditions Made Worse by Social Media

Many mental health conditions may be made worse by social media, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, social anxiety, body dysmorphia, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).^[1][2][3]

Social media addiction may also increase the risk of obesity, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other physical issues, due to spending too much time on the phone or computer.^[2]

Getting Help for Social Media Addiction

With the right help and treatment, you can successfully overcome social media addiction. While the reward system in the brain is affected by social media addiction, it’s been shown that the self-control system remains largely functional. This means that many people can overcome it with the right tools and effort, along with strong self-motivation.^[6]

Therapy & Counseling

Several psychotherapy and counseling options can help with social media addiction. Common treatments include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, psychodynamic therapy, and, if deemed necessary, medication.

CBT

CBT is a form of psychotherapy focused on one’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. CBT can help individuals to identify triggers for use, identify and change unhealthy thought patterns and behaviors, and improve emotional regulation skills.^[1]

Mindfulness

Various forms of mindfulness and other self-regulation strategies can help treat problematic social media use. Mindfulness helps you to become more aware of your thoughts, feelings, and actions in the present moment. In turn, it can help you to recognize urges to use social media or when you’re actually using it compulsively, which then makes it easier to stop or control.^[1]

Psychodynamic Therapy

Psychodynamic therapy is a psychotherapy that helps uncover the root causes of psychological distress. By uncovering these, this therapy may help address stressors leading to compulsive social media use.^[3]

Medication

Medications are not typically used as primary treatment for social media addiction. They may be useful in the short-term and may also be used to address co-occurring mental health disorders, such as anxiety or depression.^[3]

Getting Support for Your Child

If your child is struggling with social media addiction, professional treatment can help. In addition to professional treatment, you can do many things to help your child have a healthier relationship with social media, including:^[1]

• Setting screen time limits.

• Establish guidelines and boundaries for social media use and behavior.

• Encourage them to take up hobbies (e.g., sports, hiking, reading, music).

• Keep social media use off-limits during certain times, such as before bed.

• Manage or monitor your child’s social media accounts, especially if they’re young.

• Encourage regular face-to-face interactions with friends.

• Engage in open discussions about social media and its possible consequences.

Managing Without Social Media

If you’re dealing with social media addiction, going without it can lead to stress, anxiety, and other withdrawal-like symptoms, especially during the earlier part of treatment. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to manage without social media, such as engaging in hobbies, meeting up with friends or family, and partaking in other real-world activities. Celebrate the small wins in your day too, and try to be easy on yourself if you do happen to use social media more than you wanted to on a particular day.

Changes You Can Make Today

You can do many things on your own to help manage social media use, such as:

• Setting aside specific blocks of time for social media use.

• Keeping your phone out of the room while at work or school.

• Uninstalling apps from your phone.

• Turning off notifications.

• Engaging in enjoyable activities.

• Practicing stress management, such as meditation or deep breathing.

Final Takeaway

Social media addiction can significantly impair mental well-being, relationships, and life function, with particularly damaging effects in young people. Fortunately, professional treatment, support, and self-management strategies can provide significant help. If you think you may be dealing with social media addiction, don’t hesitate to seek professional help.