essay social media addiction

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Social Media Addiction Essay | Short and Long Essay on Social Media Addiction | Causes of Social Media Addiction

Social Media Addiction Essay: Social media is a mechanical application and site, empowering clients to have intuitive correspondence and cooperation in sharing data, conclusions, pictures, recordings, and so on through web association. Social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, Twitter, etc., have brought many benefits to society.  It permits the exchange of information with a flicker of an eye progressively. It is ending up being profoundly advantageous for business, work searchers, financial specialists, picture takers, news channels, craftsmen, bloggers, gourmet experts, homemakers, and some more.

The current youthful age is keeping away from open-air sports and squander their energy via Social media. It influences their own life, profession, studies, and associations with friends and family. To spread mindfulness on this subject schools, universities and different social foundations urge youth to partake in Essay, Speech contests. This subject is one of the normal themes in such discussions.

You can read more  Essay Writing  about articles, events, people, sports, technology many more.

Along these lines, we have given you an example exposition via online media fixation of like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and so on which discusses causes, impact, manifestations and arrangements of the Social media dependence. However, the substance is given in paper design, with little adjustments you can utilize it for discourse or article composing. You can likewise utilize this data for passage composing.

Short Essay on Social Media Addiction 200 Words in English

Social media compulsion has become a reason for concern. It is preventing the understudy’s schooling and is influencing their grades. Work has likewise become an impediment to the homegrown producers just as the work-creators. This relationship is likewise causing issues and is prompting issues like anorexia and gloom.

Maybe than joining Social media and associating with dear companions, individuals have begun rivaling them. They need to post preferable photographs and notices over others and need their profiles to be awesome. Online media addicts invest the greater part of their energy contemplating how they can improve their profile than others.

Online media addicts additionally consistently desire to look through Social media stages. They revive their data, stop individuals’ profiles, update their status, transfer their photos frequently and continue to remark to a great extent.

Numerous Social media Addiction locales like Facebook likewise offer to play a few games. These games are largely habit-forming. Players attempt to contend with different parts in their companion list. They invest the vast majority of their energy playing these games to expand their level and score. They become furious and disappointed when they can’t get it.

Side effects of Social media fixation ought to be recognized and the issue ought to be tended to before extremely late.

Long Essay on Social Media Addiction 500 Words in English

Online media is an incredible method to associate with our companions and family members living in far-off places. It is likewise an extraordinary spot to meet similar individuals, support our business, follow our number one superstars, upgrade our insight and see what’s going on around the world. Be that as it may, utilizing online media unreasonably can have negative repercussions. Numerous individuals become dependent on Social media and this affects the typical working of their lives.

Students can also find Internet Addiction Essay and Paragraph on Social Media from here

Why Social Media Addiction is Increasing?

Online media has brought the world nearer. Individuals of various age bunches all throughout the planet have Social media accounts. While numerous online media clients keep their profiles serene others stay up with the latest. There is one more class of Social media clients. These individuals post nearly everything occurring in their life on their online media accounts and burn through most pieces of their day looking through changed pages via Social media locales. They have profiles on every one of the online media stages and are dependent on them.

The quantity of online media addicts is expanding as time passes. This is on the grounds that Social media stages are thinking of a few new and intriguing approaches to keep individuals connected with and snared on to them.

How to Overcome this Addiction?

It might appear to be hard to conquer online media enslavement immediately anyway you can do as such with little exertion over the long haul. Here are some approaches to beat Social media fixation:

• Make your time useful: There are applications that help you limit the time spent on various applications on your portable. They send a ready when you surpass the time set for utilizing a specific application. It is a smart thought to download such an application to restrict your Social media utilization. You can diminish this time bit by bit.
• Turn off your app notifications: Mood killer the warnings for all your Social media stages on your telephone. At the point when you realize you will not be informed about any new update, you won’t trust that your telephone will blare or have the inclination to continually see the notice. There will be no unsettling influence and you will actually want to focus better on the job that needs to be done.
• Remove unnecessary app: It is proposed to erase not many Social media applications from your telephone and stay dynamic just on a couple of them. Additionally, don’t put these applications on your home screen. This basic stunt can likewise go far in defeating your Social media compulsion.
• Make your Social life physical not digital: Keep your telephone to the side when you are with your loved ones. Converse with them, enjoy exercises you appreciate and pay attention to all that they need to say. Plan to invest increasingly more energy with them as you attempt to conquer your online media enslavement. This can fill in as a decent interruption from the bogus world you have made for yourself.
• Follow your hobbies: Recognize the exercises you love the most. It very well might be moving, planting, singing, running or whatever else, so far as that is concerned. Participate in these exercises for an hour or somewhere in the vicinity every day to keep your psyche off online media.

Side-effects of Social Media

• Social media consumes a lot of time and decreases the productivity of the person day by day.
• Social media makes a person completely isolated from the outer world. Sometimes they become so introverted, that they can connect to another person through social media only.
• Students can lower their academic marks because of the excess use of social media.
• People get too much dependent on social media for the likes and views on their posts. Hence, their happiness is more dependent on the public reactions, which makes them more depressed and sad when do not get a good number of likes.
• One of the major drawbacks of social media is it affects our health drastically. Our eyes get tired by constantly watching mobiles phones and laptop screens. Also, we do not prefer to go out much for a walk, which makes us gain weight and lose stamina.

Final Conclusion

Social media addicts show urgent conduct. They regularly separate from this present reality and become socially segregated. Perceive this issue and conquer it to lead a cheerful and sound life.

FAQ’s on Social Media Addiction Essay

Question 1. What is social media addiction?

Answer: Individuals invest more energy in their cell phones over various online media applications. They track down a virtual existence where it is not difficult to get virtual regard, love, appreciation, acknowledgement. Our current age is having an exceptionally low capacity to focus, they are anxious, they need things to occur in a flash. Which is hauling them into this virtual universe of Social media and applications.

Question 2. What is the cause of social media addiction?

Answer: The main motivation for this human conduct is the requirement for acknowledgement, appreciation, approval, fondness, and love. Social media introduced a virtual existence where individuals address themselves with the persona they need others to see, as and love. These online media stages are simply innovation, it is the longing in the human psyche which is catching them in this endless loop.

Question 3. What is the type of social media addiction?

Answer: There are different types of social media addiction:

• Having accounts on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc, to post your stories or photos or videos, to get public attention and likes.
• The habit of chatting through WhatsApp is another kind of addiction.
• Cybersex addiction, watching illegal pornographic videos especially for youth is a big cause of addiction
• Online games available nowadays also causes addiction
• Surfing information from social media platforms
• Watching movies or videos on free youtube channels

Question 4. What are the advantages of social media?

Answer: Social media is just not a curse but it has brought a lot of boons to society. Using social media you can contact huge crowds,  have an immediate association with your crowd, can make natural substance, approach paid promoting administrations, assemble your image, direct people to your site and can assess your exhibition.

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Stanford University School of Medicine blog

Addictive potential of social media, explained

The curious title of Stanford psychiatrist Anna Lembke 's book, Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence , pays tribute to the crucial and often destructive role that dopamine plays in modern society.

Dopamine , the main chemical involved in addiction, is secreted from certain nerve tracts in the brain when we engage in a rewarding experience such as finding food, clothing, shelter or a sexual mate. Nature designed our brains to feel pleasure when these experiences happen because they increase our odds of survival and of procreation.

But the days when our species dwelled in caves and struggled for survival are long gone. Dopamine Nation explains how living in a modern society, affluent beyond comparison by evolutionary standards, has rendered us all vulnerable to dopamine-mediated addiction . Today, the addictive substance of choice, whether we realize it or not, is often the internet and social media channels, according to Lembke, MD.

"If you're not addicted yet, it's coming soon to a website near you," Lembke joked when I talked to her about the message of Dopamine Nation , which was published in August. This Q&A is abridged from that exchange.

Why did you decide to write this book?

I wanted to tell readers what I'd learned from patients and from neuroscience about how to tackle compulsive overconsumption. Feel-good substances and behaviors increase dopamine release in the brain's reward pathways .

The brain responds to this increase by decreasing dopamine transmission -- not just back down to its natural baseline rate, but below that baseline. Repeated exposure to the same or similar stimuli ultimately creates a chronic dopamine-deficit state, wherein we're less able to experience pleasure.

What are the risk factors for addiction?

Easy access and speedy reward are two of them. Just as the hypodermic needle is the delivery mechanism for drugs like heroin, the smartphone is the modern-day hypodermic needle, delivering digital dopamine for a wired generation.

The hypodermic needle delivers a drug right into our vascular system, which in turn delivers it right to the brain, making the drug more potent. The same is true for the smartphone; with its bright colors, flashing lights and engaging alerts, it delivers images to our visual cortex that are tough to resist. And the quantity is endless. TikTok never runs out.

What makes social media particularly addictive?

We're wired to connect. It's kept us alive for millions of years in a world of scarcity and ever-present danger. Moving in tribes safeguards against predators, optimizes scarce resources and facilitates pair bonding. Our brains release dopamine when we make human connections, which incentivizes us to do it again.

But social connection has become druggified by social-media apps, making us vulnerable to compulsive overconsumption. These apps can cause the release of large amounts of dopamine into our brains' reward pathway all at once, just like heroin, or meth, or alcohol. They do that by amplifying the feel-good properties that attract humans to each other in the first place.

Then there's novelty. Dopamine is triggered by our brain's search-and-explore functions, telling us, "Hey, pay attention to this, something new has come along." Add to that the artificial intelligence algorithms that learn what we've liked before and suggest new things that are similar but not exactly the same, and we're off and running.

Further, our brains aren't equipped to process the millions of comparisons the virtual world demands. We can become overwhelmed by our inability to measure up to these "perfect" people who exist only in the Matrix . We give up trying and sink into depression, or what neuroscientists called "learned helplessness."

Upon signing off, the brain is plunged into a dopamine-deficit state as it attempts to adapt to the unnaturally high levels of dopamine social media just released. Which is why social media often feels good while we're doing it but horrible as soon as we stop.

Is there an antidote to our addiction to social media?

Yes, a timeout -- at least for a day. But a whole month is more typically the minimum amount of time we need away from our drug of choice, whether it's heroin or Instagram, to reset our dopamine reward pathways. A monthlong dopamine fast will decrease the anxiety and depression that social media can induce, and enhance our ability to enjoy other, more modest rewards again.

If and when we return to social media, we can consolidate our use to certain times of the day, avoid certain apps that suck us into the vortex and prioritize apps that connect us with real people in our real lives.

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Bev John has received funding from European Social Funds/Welsh Government, Alcohol Concern (now Alcohol Change), Research Councils and the personal research budgets of a number of Welsh Senedd members. She is an invited observer of the Cross-Party Group on Problem Gambling at the Welsh Parliament and sits on the “Beat the Odds” steering group that is run by Cais Ltd.

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If you spend hours of the day on your phone checking social media, you’re not unusual. The average internet user spends two hours a day on various social media sites. But does your habit of checking Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok every few hours make you a social media “addict”?

The term “social media addiction” is being increasingly used to describe people who spend a lot of time on these websites and apps. Doing so can be harmful to people in a variety of ways – causing low self esteem, bad sleep and increasing stress .

The main focus when considering addiction to substances tends to be on three key elements: compulsion (or loss of control), tolerance (needing to increase amount to achieve the same effect) and withdrawal (unpleasant side effects when use stops). Other factors to consider relate to craving, preoccupation and continuing use despite it causing obvious problems. It’s easy to see how these factors apply to drugs, but what about shopping, gambling or, indeed, social media use?

Increasing interest in these and other behavioural “addictions” – like gaming, sex or the internet – has resulted in broadening definitions of what addiction is. Psychologists talk of excessive appetites and powerful motivational drives to engage in particular behaviours that have the power to do considerable unintended harm .

As researchers in social media and addiction, we have spent the last 25 years understanding different kinds of addiction. Our research tells us that social media addiction is not the same as an addiction to substances, like alcohol and other drugs.

Social media use

Too much social media can certainly be damaging. One major feature of social media is it allows users some control over how they present themselves to others. People can edit their online appearance and sometimes present themselves inaccurately while seeking validation from others.

This can cause all kinds of harm. In a study in 2019, we found when female users looked at the platforms for around one and a half hours per day, this was related to an increased desire to be thin , a heightened awareness of how they think other people judge them and motivation to exercise for the purposes of losing weight.

Read more: Why is celebrity abuse on Twitter so bad? It might be a problem with our empathy

And in 2016, we investigated the ways people seek validation on social media. We looked at how often people manipulate posts to increase the number of likes received, use social media to boost spirits or blindly post about issues with which they did not necessarily agree.

We found when this kind of online behaviour increased, self-esteem decreased. But our findings didn’t necessarily show a compulsion to use social media – something key in making it an addiction. Other social factors, such as fear of missing out and narcissistic personality traits, may drive the need to use social media to an unhealthy degree.

Social media addiction

In 2020, we undertook a study into harmful gambling that might help answer the question of whether social media addiction is real.

We found that rapid technological developments in the ease and speed of access of phone and tablet apps are leading to increased levels of gambling harm. Similar psychological processes may be at work on social media platforms, where need for validation, craving and checking likes is amplified.

Behavioural explanations for how addictions develop emphasise the power of reinforcement. Gambling products often use the most powerful form of reinforcement: random pay outs . This, again, is potentially similar to the way users receive validation in the form of “likes” on social media.

There are some who might argue that chronic overuse of social media can be seen as an addiction, but it not is currently recognised as such by the American Psychiatric Association .

There are important differences between excessive social media use and substances in terms of addiction. For example, withdrawal from the latter is often physically unpleasant and sometimes dangerous without medical supervision. Users often suffer stigma, which can be a barrier to seeking help. In comparison, it hasn’t yet been established that there are physical withdrawal effects when people stop using social media.

Considering social media use more as a continuum of possible harm might allow more scope for appropriately targeted messages that could prevent problems developing in the first place.

There are clearly elements of social media use that resonate with certain characterisations of addiction, such as psychological notions of excessive appetites or powerful motivations, and the built-in platform mechanisms of reinforcement through random affirmations or “likes”. It’s also clear that this can be harmful in terms of negative impact on some users’ self-esteem and body image.

But despite these factors, the most useful question might be how to create a healthy balance of interaction in our virtual and real worlds.

It’s worth remembering that behavioural addictions, like those to substances, often occur alongside other mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, suggesting that vulnerability may be multifaceted. This may also be true of excessive social media use.

• Social media
• Digital addiction

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Social Media Addiction

The Cause and Result of Growing Social Problems

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• First Online: 21 June 2023
• Cite this living reference work entry

• Troy Smith 7  

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Accompanying the growth and increase in popularity of social media have been negative psychosocial and psychological effects associated with its excessive use. Research has shown a positive relationship between addiction-like behaviors associated with social media addiction (SMA) and psychological factors such as loneliness and low self-esteem, which demonstrate a congruency with recognized behavioral addictions. Adding to this congruency are the identified negative outcomes associated with SMA, which include difficulties in time perception, time management, maintaining interpersonal relationships, academic performance and increased prevalence of depression. According to the components model of addiction, the maladaptive behaviors/symptoms associated with problematic social media use (addiction) can be grouped into six dimensions, salience, tolerance, withdrawal, mood modification, conflict, and relapse. Studies have also identified several antecedents related to individual personality traits, fulfillment of psychological needs (relatedness, self-presentation, and social interaction), and perceived discrepancies between current and desired (or expected) interpersonal relationships (e.g., loneliness and low self-esteem). This chapter discusses the current understanding of SMA including its definition, measurement tools, and consequences. Further, it examines the underlying psychological and physiological explanations for addictive behaviors arising from social media use. The examination is based on a review of current theoretical understanding and the range of empirical studies, which examines the phenomena. Lastly, it highlights proposed social and policy approaches to alleviate the problem.

• Social media
• Mental health
• Maladaptive
• Psychopathologies
• Self-esteem
• Social networking

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Social Media Addiction

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Causes of social media addiction, consequences of social media addiction, addressing social media addiction.

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Essay on Addiction Of Social Media

Students are often asked to write an essay on Addiction Of Social Media in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Addiction Of Social Media

Understanding social media addiction.

Social media addiction is when a person spends too much time on social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. This can lead to problems like ignoring schoolwork, losing sleep, and even feeling unhappy. It’s like a bad habit that’s hard to break.

The Causes of Addiction

People often get addicted to social media because it makes them feel good. They like getting likes, comments, and shares. It can also be because they feel lonely or bored. Social media seems like an easy way to feel better or pass the time.

Effects of Social Media Addiction

Being addicted to social media can cause problems. It can lead to poor grades in school because of not studying. It can also cause lack of sleep, which can make you feel tired and grumpy. You might even stop spending time with friends and family.

Overcoming Social Media Addiction

Breaking free from social media addiction is not easy but possible. One can start by setting time limits for using social media. Also, finding other activities like sports or reading can help. Talking about the problem with someone you trust can also help.

250 Words Essay on Addiction Of Social Media

Social media addiction is when a person spends too much time on social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and others. It’s like a drug, where the more you use, the more you want to use. This can lead to problems with school, work, and relationships.

Signs of Social Media Addiction

There are several signs that you might be addicted to social media. You might check your accounts constantly, even when you’re supposed to be doing other things. You might also feel anxious or upset if you can’t use social media. You might even ignore real-life activities to spend more time online.

Addiction to social media can have serious effects. It can hurt your school grades because you’re not focusing on your work. It can also harm your relationships because you’re not spending time with people in person. In addition, it can lead to mental health issues like anxiety and depression.

Ways to Combat Social Media Addiction

There are ways to combat social media addiction. You can set limits on how much time you spend on social media each day. You can also turn off notifications so you’re not tempted to check constantly. It’s also important to spend time doing other things you enjoy, like reading, playing sports, or hanging out with friends in person.

In conclusion, social media addiction is a serious problem that can have harmful effects. But by recognizing the signs and taking steps to control your use, you can overcome this addiction. It’s all about balance – using social media in a healthy way while still enjoying real life.

500 Words Essay on Addiction Of Social Media

Introduction.

Social media has become a big part of our lives. We use it to chat with friends, share photos, and learn about the world. But sometimes, we spend too much time on it. This is called social media addiction.

What is Social Media Addiction?

Social media addiction is when a person spends so much time on social media that it starts to affect their life in a bad way. They might not do their homework, or they might not spend time with their family. They might even feel sad or angry when they can’t use social media.

The Causes of Social Media Addiction

There are many reasons why people get addicted to social media. One reason is that it makes them feel good. When someone likes or comments on their post, it can make them feel happy and important. Another reason is that it can help them feel less lonely. If they are feeling sad or bored, they can go on social media and talk to their friends.

The Effects of Social Media Addiction

Social media addiction can have many bad effects. It can make a person feel anxious or depressed. They might worry a lot about what other people think of them. It can also make them feel lonely. Even though they are talking to people online, they are not spending time with people in real life. This can make them feel alone and sad.

Another bad effect is that it can affect their school work. If they are spending too much time on social media, they might not have time to study or do their homework. This can lead to bad grades.

How to Overcome Social Media Addiction

Overcoming social media addiction is not easy, but it is possible. The first step is to admit that there is a problem. The next step is to set limits. This means deciding how much time to spend on social media each day, and sticking to it. It can also help to find other activities to do, like reading a book or playing a sport.

Social media can be a fun and useful tool. But like anything else, it is important to use it in a balanced way. If we spend too much time on it, it can lead to problems like anxiety, depression, and poor grades. By setting limits and finding other activities to enjoy, we can avoid these problems and have a healthier relationship with social media.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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Social Media Use and Its Connection to Mental Health: A Systematic Review

Fazida karim.

1 Psychology, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences and Psychology, Fairfield, USA

2 Business & Management, University Sultan Zainal Abidin, Terengganu, MYS

Azeezat A Oyewande

3 Family Medicine, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences and Psychology, Fairfield, USA

4 Family Medicine, Lagos State Health Service Commission/Alimosho General Hospital, Lagos, NGA

Lamis F Abdalla

5 Internal Medicine, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences and Psychology, Fairfield, USA

Reem Chaudhry Ehsanullah

Safeera khan.

Social media are responsible for aggravating mental health problems. This systematic study summarizes the effects of social network usage on mental health. Fifty papers were shortlisted from google scholar databases, and after the application of various inclusion and exclusion criteria, 16 papers were chosen and all papers were evaluated for quality. Eight papers were cross-sectional studies, three were longitudinal studies, two were qualitative studies, and others were systematic reviews. Findings were classified into two outcomes of mental health: anxiety and depression. Social media activity such as time spent to have a positive effect on the mental health domain. However, due to the cross-sectional design and methodological limitations of sampling, there are considerable differences. The structure of social media influences on mental health needs to be further analyzed through qualitative research and vertical cohort studies.

Introduction and background

Human beings are social creatures that require the companionship of others to make progress in life. Thus, being socially connected with other people can relieve stress, anxiety, and sadness, but lack of social connection can pose serious risks to mental health [ 1 ].

Social media

Social media has recently become part of people's daily activities; many of them spend hours each day on Messenger, Instagram, Facebook, and other popular social media. Thus, many researchers and scholars study the impact of social media and applications on various aspects of people’s lives [ 2 ]. Moreover, the number of social media users worldwide in 2019 is 3.484 billion, up 9% year-on-year [ 3 - 5 ]. A statistic in Figure  1  shows the gender distribution of social media audiences worldwide as of January 2020, sorted by platform. It was found that only 38% of Twitter users were male but 61% were using Snapchat. In contrast, females were more likely to use LinkedIn and Facebook. There is no denying that social media has now become an important part of many people's lives. Social media has many positive and enjoyable benefits, but it can also lead to mental health problems. Previous research found that age did not have an effect but gender did; females were much more likely to experience mental health than males [ 6 , 7 ].

Impact on mental health

Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which people understand their abilities, solve everyday life problems, work well, and make a significant contribution to the lives of their communities [ 8 ]. There is debated presently going on regarding the benefits and negative impacts of social media on mental health [ 9 , 10 ]. Social networking is a crucial element in protecting our mental health. Both the quantity and quality of social relationships affect mental health, health behavior, physical health, and mortality risk [ 9 ]. The Displaced Behavior Theory may help explain why social media shows a connection with mental health. According to the theory, people who spend more time in sedentary behaviors such as social media use have less time for face-to-face social interaction, both of which have been proven to be protective against mental disorders [ 11 , 12 ]. On the other hand, social theories found how social media use affects mental health by influencing how people view, maintain, and interact with their social network [ 13 ]. A number of studies have been conducted on the impacts of social media, and it has been indicated that the prolonged use of social media platforms such as Facebook may be related to negative signs and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress [ 10 - 15 ]. Furthermore, social media can create a lot of pressure to create the stereotype that others want to see and also being as popular as others.

The need for a systematic review

Systematic studies can quantitatively and qualitatively identify, aggregate, and evaluate all accessible data to generate a warm and accurate response to the research questions involved [ 4 ]. In addition, many existing systematic studies related to mental health studies have been conducted worldwide. However, only a limited number of studies are integrated with social media and conducted in the context of social science because the available literature heavily focused on medical science [ 6 ]. Because social media is a relatively new phenomenon, the potential links between their use and mental health have not been widely investigated.

This paper attempt to systematically review all the relevant literature with the aim of filling the gap by examining social media impact on mental health, which is sedentary behavior, which, if in excess, raises the risk of health problems [ 7 , 9 , 12 ]. This study is important because it provides information on the extent of the focus of peer review literature, which can assist the researchers in delivering a prospect with the aim of understanding the future attention related to climate change strategies that require scholarly attention. This study is very useful because it provides information on the extent to which peer review literature can assist researchers in presenting prospects with a view to understanding future concerns related to mental health strategies that require scientific attention. The development of the current systematic review is based on the main research question: how does social media affect mental health?

Research strategy

The research was conducted to identify studies analyzing the role of social media on mental health. Google Scholar was used as our main database to find the relevant articles. Keywords that were used for the search were: (1) “social media”, (2) “mental health”, (3) “social media” AND “mental health”, (4) “social networking” AND “mental health”, and (5) “social networking” OR “social media” AND “mental health” (Table  1 ).

Out of the results in Table  1 , a total of 50 articles relevant to the research question were selected. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, duplicate papers were removed, and, finally, a total of 28 articles were selected for review (Figure  2 ).

PRISMA, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Peer-reviewed, full-text research papers from the past five years were included in the review. All selected articles were in English language and any non-peer-reviewed and duplicate papers were excluded from finally selected articles.

Of the 16 selected research papers, there were a research focus on adults, gender, and preadolescents [ 10 - 19 ]. In the design, there were qualitative and quantitative studies [ 15 , 16 ]. There were three systematic reviews and one thematic analysis that explored the better or worse of using social media among adolescents [ 20 - 23 ]. In addition, eight were cross-sectional studies and only three were longitudinal studies [ 24 - 29 ].The meta-analyses included studies published beyond the last five years in this population. Table  2  presents a selection of studies from the review.

IGU, internet gaming disorder; PSMU, problematic social media use

This study has attempted to systematically analyze the existing literature on the effect of social media use on mental health. Although the results of the study were not completely consistent, this review found a general association between social media use and mental health issues. Although there is positive evidence for a link between social media and mental health, the opposite has been reported.

For example, a previous study found no relationship between the amount of time spent on social media and depression or between social media-related activities, such as the number of online friends and the number of “selfies”, and depression [ 29 ]. Similarly, Neira and Barber found that while higher investment in social media (e.g. active social media use) predicted adolescents’ depressive symptoms, no relationship was found between the frequency of social media use and depressed mood [ 28 ].

In the 16 studies, anxiety and depression were the most commonly measured outcome. The prominent risk factors for anxiety and depression emerging from this study comprised time spent, activity, and addiction to social media. In today's world, anxiety is one of the basic mental health problems. People liked and commented on their uploaded photos and videos. In today's age, everyone is immune to the social media context. Some teens experience anxiety from social media related to fear of loss, which causes teens to try to respond and check all their friends' messages and messages on a regular basis.

On the contrary, depression is one of the unintended significances of unnecessary use of social media. In detail, depression is limited not only to Facebooks but also to other social networking sites, which causes psychological problems. A new study found that individuals who are involved in social media, games, texts, mobile phones, etc. are more likely to experience depression.

The previous study found a 70% increase in self-reported depressive symptoms among the group using social media. The other social media influence that causes depression is sexual fun [ 12 ]. The intimacy fun happens when social media promotes putting on a facade that highlights the fun and excitement but does not tell us much about where we are struggling in our daily lives at a deeper level [ 28 ]. Another study revealed that depression and time spent on Facebook by adolescents are positively correlated [ 22 ]. More importantly, symptoms of major depression have been found among the individuals who spent most of their time in online activities and performing image management on social networking sites [ 14 ].

Another study assessed gender differences in associations between social media use and mental health. Females were found to be more addicted to social media as compared with males [ 26 ]. Passive activity in social media use such as reading posts is more strongly associated with depression than doing active use like making posts [ 23 ]. Other important findings of this review suggest that other factors such as interpersonal trust and family functioning may have a greater influence on the symptoms of depression than the frequency of social media use [ 28 , 29 ].

Limitation and suggestion

The limitations and suggestions were identified by the evidence involved in the study and review process. Previously, 7 of the 16 studies were cross-sectional and slightly failed to determine the causal relationship between the variables of interest. Given the evidence from cross-sectional studies, it is not possible to conclude that the use of social networks causes mental health problems. Only three longitudinal studies examined the causal relationship between social media and mental health, which is hard to examine if the mental health problem appeared more pronounced in those who use social media more compared with those who use it less or do not use at all [ 19 , 20 , 24 ]. Next, despite the fact that the proposed relationship between social media and mental health is complex, a few studies investigated mediating factors that may contribute or exacerbate this relationship. Further investigations are required to clarify the underlying factors that help examine why social media has a negative impact on some peoples’ mental health, whereas it has no or positive effect on others’ mental health.

Conclusions

Social media is a new study that is rapidly growing and gaining popularity. Thus, there are many unexplored and unexpected constructive answers associated with it. Lately, studies have found that using social media platforms can have a detrimental effect on the psychological health of its users. However, the extent to which the use of social media impacts the public is yet to be determined. This systematic review has found that social media envy can affect the level of anxiety and depression in individuals. In addition, other potential causes of anxiety and depression have been identified, which require further exploration.

The importance of such findings is to facilitate further research on social media and mental health. In addition, the information obtained from this study can be helpful not only to medical professionals but also to social science research. The findings of this study suggest that potential causal factors from social media can be considered when cooperating with patients who have been diagnosed with anxiety or depression. Also, if the results from this study were used to explore more relationships with another construct, this could potentially enhance the findings to reduce anxiety and depression rates and prevent suicide rates from occurring.

The content published in Cureus is the result of clinical experience and/or research by independent individuals or organizations. Cureus is not responsible for the scientific accuracy or reliability of data or conclusions published herein. All content published within Cureus is intended only for educational, research and reference purposes. Additionally, articles published within Cureus should not be deemed a suitable substitute for the advice of a qualified health care professional. Do not disregard or avoid professional medical advice due to content published within Cureus.

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Essay on Social Media Addiction in English for Children and Students

Table of Contents

Essay on Social Media Addiction: Social media addiction is one of the most common new age addictions gripping people across the globe. Social media platforms have caught the interest of the masses ever since their inception around a decade back. More and more such platforms have come into being, since then. Their popularity has grown with time and so has the number of social media addicts.

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Long and Short Essay on Social Media Addiction in English

Here are essay on social media addiction of varying lengths to help you with the topic in your exam.

After going through the Social Media Addiction essay you will know all the vital facts on the addiction of social media, how the social media addiction is influencing youths and damaging their minds, symptoms and consequences of social media addiction, ways to overcome the addiction of social media etc.

Hope you will enjoy reading these essays because all are well written using easy and simple language. So, do not waste time, go hurry up and find your best one essay:

Short Essay on Social Media Addiction 200 Words

Social media addiction has become a cause of concern. It is hampering the student’s studies and affecting their grades. It has become a hindrance in work for the working professionals, as well as home makers. It is also creating relationship problems and leading to issues such as anorexia and depression.

Instead of connecting with their near and dear ones via social media, people have started competing with them. They want to post better pictures and status updates than others and want their profile to look the best. Social media addicts spend most of their time thinking as to how they can make their profile better than the rest.

Social media addicts also have a constant urge to scroll through the social media platforms. They keep refreshing their notifications, stalk people’s profiles, update their status, upload their pictures frequently and keep commenting here and there.

Many social media sites such as Facebook also offer several games to play. These games are all the more addictive. Players try to compete with other players on their friend list. They spend most of their time playing these games in order to increase their level and score. They get angry and frustrated when they aren’t able to achieve it.

Social media addiction symptoms must be recognized and the problem should be addressed before it is too late.

Essay on Social Media Addiction 300 Words : Damaging Young Minds

Social media is a good thing if used in the right way, but it can be as damaging if one becomes addicted to it. Unfortunately, more and more people, especially the youth are becoming addicted to the social media and it is damaging their minds.

The Craze for Approval

Social media platforms allow us to share pictures, videos and status updates revealing what’s going on in our lives. They basically give us an opportunity to boast about ourselves. We want to look good and feel good about ourselves and show it to the world. A research conducted at the Harvard University reveals that talking about ourselves makes us feel happy and high.

Social media helps in rendering this affect. We post the best of pictures and talk highly about ourselves and our family on the social media. We try to show the amount of fun we are having in our lives. However, this is not it. We, then seek approval of others. We want to see as to how many people actually ‘like’ what we are doing in life.

It feels even better when people post good comments on our pictures and status updates. Social media addicts seem to be crazy for approval of others on their list. It gives them a high when someone talks good about them, which is quite natural. The problem is they feel stressed and depressed when people do not acknowledge or like what they upload online.

The Feeling of Jealousy

The feeling of jealousy is one of the worst feelings one can experience. Instead of being content with what they have, young social media addicts try to copy others and feel jealous when they aren’t able to achieve it. They live in jealousy and agony. The feeling of dissatisfaction and frustration often takes over them. They don’t feel good about themselves and their lives and often go into depression.

Young people should think about their career and concentrate on their studies but instead they are largely caught up in futile activities on social media sites. This is not only hampering their personal growth but the development of the nation as a whole.

Essay on Social Media Addiction 400 words: A Big Social Problem

Social media sites serve as a platform to connect with our friends and relatives. We share our happy as well as sad moments on social media platforms to let those on our friend list know how we are feeling and what we are doing in life. People ‘like’ our status updates and photographs and ‘comment’ on them to tell us how they feel about it all. This is a great way to socialize in this busy world. It makes us feel that everyone we love and want to be in touch with is just a click away. However, social media becomes a problem when we get addicted to it.

Many people living in different parts of the world are suffering from social media addiction and are bearing its consequences.

Social Media Addiction: Cutting Us Off from the Society

Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter may help us connect with our distant relatives and long lost friends but social media addiction is distancing us from our immediate family and close friends. People addicted to social media are hooked to these platforms for hours. They do not care if their loved ones are sitting with them or trying to make a conversation. All they care about is who updated what, on the social media and how many people liked or commented on their posts.

Social media addicts frequently check updates/ notifications on the social media platforms. This can be as frequent has twenty-thirty times in an hour. Viewing a new notification especially one involving their posts gives them a high. Lack of it, on the other hand, can make them feel sad and depressed.

All that the social media addicts care about is to maintain an attractive social media profile. They are mostly seen clicking pictures during social events, family gatherings and even during getaways with friends. They hardly enjoy the moment or talk to people around. They are only focused on collecting pictures that can be uploaded on their social media accounts or busy checking and commenting on the status updates of those on their friend list.

They post updates stating they are enjoying with their family or having fun with their friends while in reality they do not even interact properly with anyone around. This is the grave reality of social media addicts. Even when they are around people, their mind is gripped by the social media platforms.

Social media addiction is becoming a big problem. It is ironic how a platform created to help people socialize is actually cutting them from the society.

Essay on Social Media Addiction 500 words: Ways to Overcome

Social media is a great way to connect with our friends and relatives living at distant places. It is also a great place to meet like-minded people, boost our business, follow our favourite celebrities, enhance our knowledge and see what is happening around the world. However, using social media excessively can have negative repercussions. Many people grow addicted to social media and this has an impact on the normal functioning of their lives.

Social Media Addiction: Increasing by the Day

Social media has brought the world closer. People of different age groups around the world have social media accounts. While many social media users keep their profiles low key others keep it up to date. There is yet another category of social media users. These people post almost everything happening in their life on their social media accounts and spend most part of their day scrolling through different pages on social media sites. They have profiles on all the social media platforms and are addicted to them.

The number of social media addicts is increasing with every passing day. This is because social media platforms are coming up with several new and interesting ways to keep people engaged and hooked on to them.

Ways to Overcome Social Media Addiction

It may seem difficult to overcome social media addiction at once however you can do so with little effort over the time. Here are some ways to overcome social media addiction:

• Limit the Time

There are apps that help you limit the time spent on different apps on your mobile. They send an alert when you exceed the time set for using a particular app. It is a good idea to download such an app to limit your social media usage. You can decrease this time gradually.

• Stop the Notifications

Turn off the notifications for all your social media platforms on your phone. When you know you won’t be notified about any new update, you will not wait for your phone to beep or have the urge to constantly view the notification. There will be no disturbance and you will be able to concentrate better on the task at hand.

• Delete the App

It is suggested to delete few social media apps from your phone and stay active only on few of them. Also, don’t place these apps on your home screen. This simple trick can also go a long way in overcoming your social media addiction.

• Spend Time with Family and Friends

Keep your phone aside when you are with your family and friends. Talk to them, indulge in activities you enjoy and listen to all that they have to say. Plan to spend more and more time with them as you try to overcome your social media addiction. This can serve as a good distraction from the false world you have created for yourself.

• Indulge in Your Favourite Activity

Identify the activities you love the most. It may be dancing, gardening, singing, jogging or anything else, for that matter. Engage in these activities for an hour or so each day to keep your mind off social media.

Social media addicts display compulsive behavior. They often disconnect from the real world and become socially isolated. It is important to recognize this problem and overcome it to lead a happy and healthy life.

Long Essay on Social Media Addiction 600 words: Symptoms and Consequences

Social media addiction is a real problem and it has grave consequences. Many people around the world are addicted to social media platforms and it is taking a toll on their personal as well as professional lives. They are not only ruining their lives but also impacting the lives of those around them.

Symptoms of Social Media Addiction

Some of the symptoms of social media addicts have been discussed below in detail:

Constant Urge to Check Notifications

Social media addicts feel a constant urge to check notifications on their social media accounts. They check their phones frequently to see if there is any new notification. They feel delighted at the sight of a new notification and feel sad when there is none.

Social Media over Everything Else

Social media addicts give priority to social media over everything else in their lives. It is the first thing they check in the morning and last thing they see before going to bed. Their work, friends and family – everything and everyone takes a back seat.

Procrastination

Social media addicts waste time indulging in useless activities on Facebook, Instagram and other social media sites. They procrastinate or delay the actual tasks they are required to accomplish during the day.

Need for Internet Connection

They need an internet connection wherever they go as they require checking their social media updates every few minutes. They feel restless at places those do not have good internet connectivity.

No Interest in Real Conversation

Social media addicts may be present with you physically but they will hardly indulge in any conversation with you. They are busy scrolling through different social media platform as that is the only thing they are interested in. They prefer connecting with people via these platforms rather than any other medium.

Consequences of Social Media Addiction

Here are the consequences of social media addiction:

Drop in Productivity

A person addicted to social media ignores his work. He is constantly busy updating and improving his social media profile and stalking the profiles of others online. Social media becomes his priority and he begins to ignore his work. Social media addicts often get late to office, skip important meetings and are unable to meet the deadlines at work. Their productivity decreases by the day.

Social Isolation

Social media addicts do not like socializing with people face to face. They prefer socializing with people on social media platforms. They often miss social events or just go there to click pictures to upload on their profiles. They hardly interact with people or enjoy during such events. Gradually, they become socially awkward and isolated.

Impact on Academic Performance

Students who grow addicted to social media are badly impacted. This addiction causes a hindrance in their studies. Their academic performance dips. They also lose interest in sports and other activities. Their future is at stake.

Stress and Depression

Social media addicts want some new activity on their social media profiles constantly. This is practically not possible. While many people are active on social media, we cannot expect them to keep liking or commenting on our updates all the time. Social media addicts feel anxious and stressed when they do not see any new notification. They also feel sad when people do not like their photographs or other people get more likes. Many of them go into depression over the time.

Health Issues

People addicted to social media often experience weak eyesight and migraine. They also avoid physical activities and this leads to health issues such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

It is essential to keep a check on the amount of time you spend on social media platforms. If you feel the urge to check the notifications/ updates a bit too frequently then you must take it as a warning sign. There are many ways to overcome this addiction and you must adopt them to lead a better life.

Essay on Social Media Addiction FAQs

What is social media addiction in short notes.

Social media addiction is an excessive need to use platforms like Facebook or Instagram, leading to negative impacts on daily life.

How is social media an addiction essay?

Social media addiction can be caused by factors like FOMO, seeking validation, and easy access to platforms, affecting mental health and relationships.

What causes social media addiction?

Social media addiction is caused by factors like loneliness, peer pressure, and the compelling design of social media apps.

What is the cause and effect of social media addiction?

The cause of social media addiction is often feelings of isolation, leading to effects like decreased real-life social interactions and increased anxiety.

What are the causes and effects of social media on youth?

Social media can cause loneliness and insecurity while decreasing face-to-face communication, affecting youth's mental health and self-esteem.

What are the causes and effects of excessive usage of social media on youth essay?

Excessive social media use can result in reduced real-world interactions, lower self-esteem, and anxiety, impacting youth negatively.

What is the conclusion of social media essay?

In conclusion, social media influences our lives profoundly, both positively and negatively, shaping how we connect, learn, and share information.

What is social media addiction summary?

Social media addiction, in summary, involves an unhealthy attachment to social platforms, affecting daily life and well-being.

What are the conclusion about the bad effects of social media?

Concluding, the bad effects of social media include addiction, reduced face-to-face communication, and negative impacts on mental health and self-esteem.

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Social Media Addiction Causes and Solutions

Introduction.

Among the rest, social media (SM) platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok have enjoyed rapid growth over the past few years, especially during and after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost three billion people use social media globally. The networks have become central to the lives of individuals because of the various benefits individuals get from using such platforms. However, even though it is beneficial, SM is a double-edged sword leading to behavioral addiction and severe effects on the users who do not moderate their use of the sites. The excessive SM use witnessed over the past few years has resulted in addiction, which has resulted in health-threatening behaviors. Some of the adverse effects of SM addiction include dysfunctions, mental disorders, negative emotions, loneliness, and decreased social connectedness. These impacts make the addicted users have low-quality lives and dysfunctional families.

Since social media addiction results in a significant and wide range of damages, it is crucial to understand its causes and how they can help prevent users from getting addicted to the sites. One of the most challenges to dealing with social media addiction is attempting to change an individual’s behavior without knowing what causes them to act as they do. Eventually, such approaches mostly fail because they do not address the root of the problem; instead, they regulate the results. The basis for understanding the psychological factors as the primary cause of SM addiction is crucial and is used in this article to explore possible methods to help curb the problem. Therefore, this article analyzes the causes of SM addiction and uses psychological methods to help address the issues among the affected users.

Causes of Social Media Addiction

Social media addiction has several causes, some of which result from underlying problems affecting individual users. The diversity in people shows that the range of the causes can be infinite as each depends entirely on the person. However, there are common roots attributed to behavior and change. Aksoy indicates that one of the major causes of social media addiction is weaknesses in life skills, which comprise issues associated with socializing, poor communication practices, and loneliness (Aksoy 862). Another cause is resiliency issues, which include the inability for one to recover from inner distress and devastations resulting from harsh conditions. The third primary cause of SM addiction is an individual’s poor problem-solving skills, comprising poor decision making, disorganization, and weak analytical skills. Each of these three primary causes is further explored in the sections below. The three triggers mentioned mainly sprout from various predisposing factors in one’s family, community, or society.

Socializing Problems

One’s inability to socialize with others is one of the critical factors causing individuals to be addicted to social media platforms. According to Chester, most people lack the skills to effectively interact with those they see daily (Chester, Richdale, and McGillivray 2234). This lack of social intelligence makes individuals feel isolated and unable to contribute significant thoughts when in the company of their fellow. They find their types and interact with them when they use social media. Moreover, social media also enables them to hide behind averters, thus speaking their minds without a feeling that anyone can judge them. The major areas associated with socialization problems comprise poor communication and the need to escape one’s loneliness.

Communication Problems

The inability to effectively communicate with other people makes social media users addicted to the sites where they find it easy to speak their minds through text, pictures, and videos. According to Trigueros, such people have difficulties creating and establishing relationships due to past experiences or failures and avoid face-to-face interactions, making them gain little social experience (Trigueros 4208). The void left by the lack of skills necessary for creating a suitable environment for healthy social relationships is filled with severe social behaviors and beliefs. Once developed, these users find a haven in SM sites, where they advance their unfulfilled real-world desires and relationships. They thus develop unreasonable tendencies, which become more adverse as they continue using the sites, thereby damaging their real-life healthy social relationships.

The Need to Escape Loneliness

Loneliness is one of the main drivers for people to seek a social relationship from external sources. During the pre-social media period, most people sought relationships from friends and peers to compensate for those they desired and lacked from family members. However, in present times and with the sprouting social media sites, SM users divert to these platforms to compensate for their lack of companions. O’Day et al. reveal that these users find a false comfort that they are not lonely when they speak with their fellows on the sites (O’Day et al. 100070). On the contrary, such feelings subside immediately after they are out of the sites. For this reason, most addicted users try to continue using these social media apps to escape feeling lonely. Some of the most addicted SM users are those newly divorced, immigrants, and lone children.

Resiliency Problems

Some users are addicted to social media because of their resiliency issues. Most people who lack support from their immediacy tend to SM to find activities that make them feel better. The ease of accessing social media sites also contributes immensely to resiliency problems, making the users addicted to the platforms. These factors give the users heaven of safety where they escape avoiding the crises affecting them. Resiliency problems mainly comprise individuals’ devastations experienced during harsh conditions and their inner distress.

Harsh Conditions

Harsh conditions often trigger the need for additional support, which, when available online, becomes the first place for people to find the psychological support they need at such times. However, most people also face problems with self-management skills when devastated. Various can make one vulnerable to social media manipulations when they face adverse conditions (Ghareb et al.). Moreover, harsh conditions also impair people’s judgment, making them seek peaceful social support solutions on the Internet. The psychological aspect of this problem is mainly rooted in an individual’s ability to maintain their bio-psychological balance. This lack of the power to know to check their mental state and behaviors makes it easy for them to escape their crises by getting deeply involved in the social media sites.

Inner Distress

Some people are addicted to social media because they cannot recover from a painful past or present situation. Most SM addicts have a history of failing to deal appropriately with their diverse problems in life (Wong et al. 1897). Such comprises individuals who find it difficult to recover from the difficulties they faced in the past and cannot heal themselves. Some who have failed in creating meaningful and healthy social relationships use SM to try to get the comfort they need, which prevents them from the memories of such events. Apart from railed social relationships in the past, other underlying issues could be a failure in academics, business, or sports, which make the individuals personally disturbed and lack a way to share their inner distress. The thoughts of the past make these individuals succumb to social media, which eventually harms their physical and psychological health.

Poor Problem-Solving Skills

As noted earlier, most people resort to social media and get hooked on them because of their various distresses. Thus, it is also crucial to note that those who get addicted to SM do so because they lack skills, they can use to solve issues affecting them at any time. Such individuals rush to social media to find sympathy from their followers and online friends. Such individuals failed to deal with their past problems and developed psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, and attention deficits. These mental health issues further make individuals prone to social media addiction. Lack of problem-solving skills leading to people overusing SM includes weaknesses in analyzing situations and making informed decisions and disorganized plans.

Weak Analytical and Decision-Making Skills

Those addicted to social media users do not possess mature defense systems that they can employ in cases where they must defend themselves when faced with life’s crises. Primarily, such problems arise when individuals fail to analyze the issues and find logical solutions, thereby choosing more accessible options to navigate their situations or forget about them. Some users go to social media platforms as a defense or to find pity for what affects them (Ku et al. 100570). However, as they use the sites more, they are often taken deeper using the platforms’ algorithms. The users thus find related stories, which create comfortable heaven for them, making it difficult to face life’s realities. They thus find it challenging to reverse their behavior, fearing worse psychological outcomes. Their last situations become worse because they are unable to analyze the problems that caused them to be in their current circumstances and thus cannot be decisive about what they can do to become better.

Disorganized Plans

Most people addicted to social media are who they are because of their past disorganized plans. They continue using SM because they do not have many other options to plan their lives. They become purposeless and only momentarily use the sites to fulfill their psychological emptiness. They find comfort in following events on various social media platforms and get entertained. They feel comforted with the content they get and the people they meet on the sites. However, they remained miserable, hoping they could find assistance from those they followed on the platforms. Consequently, those addicted to social media experience more severe consequences, both in health and socio-economic aspects.

Solving Social Media Addiction

The analysis conducted on the causes of social media addiction has identified three main factors: weaknesses in life skills, resiliency issues, and poor problem-solving skills. The underlying issues and the root of all these factors are psychologically oriented, which reveals the need to use psychological interventions to help find the best ways to help those addicted or can be addicted to SM. SM use is mainly associated with depression, anxiety, and mental health problems. Major social media platforms have responded to concerns around the use of the sites and their effects on mental health. For instance, YouTube initially had likes and dislikes to measure the performance of videos, but it resorted to removing the dislikes counts to contribute to mental wellbeing. Instagram and Facebook have also taken the trend, and more SM companies are following suit. The idea behind such changes is to reduce psychological problems associated with the platforms’ use; the users already have an underlying emotional problem, and negative feedback can increase their psychological distress.

It was also noted earlier that trying to curb social behavior may be a poor approach to limiting social media addiction. Behavior is a psychological factor that requires a deeper understanding of the individual to help them deal with their problems and individually overcome them. Thus, it is crucial to help the affected person identify their drive to use social media excessively and thus create a map to overcome addiction. One should identify the main reason why they are on each social site in the first place. The drive to be part of the platforms forms the basis of understanding why someone would want to overstay at the same site for an extended period. However, this should be an individual question that may require an in-depth reflection and honest answer. A psychoanalyst can help identify the possible reasons the individual uses social media and thereby help them to seek personal answers for their use of the platforms.

This analysis identified that one of the factors making people addicted to social media is problems with socializing. Social health is a crucial element of humankind, and everyone should be able to form and maintain excellent and productive relationships with their peers, parents, and siblings. Those who lack care have ways of healing from the past and find more muscular attachments with those they meet. The analysis also identified problems in resiliency, such as harsh conditions and inner distress, as a cause of social media addiction. One should ask themselves if they can control their situations before seeking alternative and easier ways to navigate them. Individuals can also learn to understand that they can get help from people closer than those they meet online. Moreover, poor problem-solving skills were identified to cause SM addiction. Users addicted to SM can find alternative ways to solve their problems instead of hiding on social media. Understanding the SM does not help one find solutions is the basis for beginning the journey to one’s freedom.

The current study has revealed several causes of social media addiction, though the major ones are associated with severe underlying psychological problems. The study identified weaknesses in life skills, including individual factors such as poor communication practices and loneliness. It also revealed that resiliency problems such inability recover from one’s inner distress and devastation when they experience harsh conditions can make them use social media more to ease their mental stress. Poor problem-solving skills such as poor decision-making, disorganization, and weak analytical skills also make people addicted to social media. The study has also revealed that since the primary causes of social media addiction are psychologically motivated, individuals must understand why they are using particular problems and also get psychoanalytic treatments that can help with their adverse life experiences.

Works Cited

Aksoy, Mehmet Emin. “A qualitative study on the reasons for social media addiction.” European Journal of Educational Research 7.4 (2018): 861-865.

Chester, M., Richdale, A. L., & McGillivray, J. (2019). Group-based social skills training with play for children on the autism spectrum. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders , 49 (6), 2231-2242.

Ghareb, Mazen, et al. “Social media and social relationships: A case study in Kurdistan society.” Applied Computer Science 14.3 (2018).

Ku, Kelly YL, et al. “What predicts adolescents’ critical thinking about real-life news? The roles of social media news consumption and news media literacy.” Thinking Skills and Creativity 33 (2019): 100570.

O’Day, Emily B., and Richard G. Heimberg. “Social media use, social anxiety, and loneliness: A systematic review.” Computers in Human Behavior Reports 3 (2021): 100070.

Trigueros, Rubén, et al. “Relationship between emotional intelligence, social skills and peer harassment. A study with high school students.” International journal of environmental research and public health 17.12 (2020): 4208.

Wong, Hiu Yan, et al. “Relationships between severity of internet gaming disorder, severity of problematic social media use, sleep quality and psychological distress.” International journal of environmental research and public health 17.6 (2020): 1879.

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How to Have a Healthier Relationship With Your Phone

Unplugging is often impossible. Here’s a realistic guide to using your tech in a way that serves you.

By Eric Athas

A few years ago, a Google employee sent an email to thousands of her co-workers: What if for six weeks straight, you spent one night per week without technology?

The email was from Laura Mae Martin, Google’s executive productivity adviser, a role that, among other things, was created to help staff members foster healthier relationships with their gadgets and apps. After she sent the note, Ms. Martin was flooded with responses from co-workers eager for a respite from some of the very products they helped build. Thousands of employees have since participated in the annual “No-Tech Tuesday Night Challenge,” said Ms. Martin, author of the upcoming book “Uptime: A Practical Guide to Personal Productivity and Wellbeing.”

The problem she was trying to solve isn’t unique to Google workers. One survey found that most Americans say they spend too much time on their phones. But dramatic solutions — a digital detox , a phone downgrade or a complete exit from social media — may feel impractical.

Is it possible to have a healthy relationship with technology while still using it daily? Fortunately, according to experts, the answer is a resounding yes.

Start with one simple question.

You know that urge you get to reach for your phone without realizing it? And then, before you know it, you’re an hour into a social media binge?

If you want to peacefully coexist with technology, you need to get a handle on those impulses . Start by noticing when you have an urge to lift your phone or open social media on your browser window, said Richard J. Davidson, the founder and director of the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

By becoming conscious of what you’re about to do, you’re interrupting an automatic behavior and awakening the part of your brain that governs self-control, he said. As one research article suggests, awareness of your actions can help you rein in bad habits.

“When you become aware of the urge, simply ask yourself, ‘Do I really need to do this right now?’” Dr. Davidson said.

Asking that question may help you pause, reflect on and resist the temptation to check your device. And let’s be realistic: Sometimes you may decide to indulge in some screen time. But by being conscious of your urges, you can become more intentional about your habits, Dr. Davidson said.

Take the “mobile” out of your mobile devices.

Dr. Anna Lembke, a professor of psychiatry and addiction medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine, said one of the biggest problems with smartphones is what she calls “texting while running to catch a bus.” Using our devices while we’re on the move — walking from meeting to meeting, taking a child to school or catching a bus — prevents us from being more engaged in our lives, Dr. Lembke said.

“We’re missing out on a wealth of information and signaling in the world around us, and also depriving ourselves of the opportunity to process and interpret what we’ve experienced,” she said.

One way to create harmony with your technology is to limit your phone use when you’re on the move. Headed out for a walk? Turn off your notifications. Going to grab a coffee? Leave your phone on your desk. If you’re feeling brave, try powering down your phone while in transit, said Dr. Lembke, who wrote “Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence.” It won’t buzz with notifications, text messages or phone calls, which Dr. Lembke said could help you focus on the world around you.

Schedule tiny tech breaks.

Extended vacations from your gadgets may not be possible. But if you’re trying to spend less time staring at your screens, 10- or 15- minute breaks might be a more practical option, said Dr. Adam Gazzaley, a neuroscientist at the University of California, San Francisco and author of “The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World.” You might take a quick walk, close your eyes, work on a puzzle or read a book.

Another trick: Put tech breaks in your calendar, Dr. Gazzaley said. It may feel odd to schedule something like “take a phone-free walk,” but it shouldn’t if it’s a priority, he said.

Control your environment.

Don’t rely on your willpower alone to keep your screen time down, said James A. Roberts, an expert on consumer behavior at Baylor University. Instead, tweak your surroundings.

“Anything you can do to create an environment that makes it as easy as possible to distance yourself from the phone will be helpful,” said Dr. Roberts, who wrote “Too Much of a Good Thing: Are You Addicted to Your Smartphone?”

Here are a few things you can try:

Get an alarm clock . A phone alarm forces you to pick up your device upon waking up, making it far too easy to start reading email and alerts, Dr. Roberts said. But a stand-alone alarm clock allows you to leave your phone untouched until you decide it’s time to dive in.

Appoint an accountability partner . Dr. Roberts suggested asking a family member or friend to remind you to put down your device when you’ve been on it for too long, when someone’s trying to have a conversation with you, or at other moments when it is disrupting life in the offline world.

Delete social media from your phone. To manage social media use without quitting it entirely, you’ll need to make it less accessible, Dr. Roberts said. One tip he suggested is to delete it from your phone but keep it on your computer so you can still use it for work or keeping in touch with family and friends.

Make the technology work for you.

One thing experts agreed on: To forge a healthy relationship with technology, you need to be in control of it and not the other way around. Think about your gadgets as tools that you decide how to use.

“Make it work for you, not against you,” said Ms. Martin, the productivity expert at Google. “Whether it’s an email program or your dishwasher, it’s the intention behind how you’re using it that really makes the big difference.”

Eric Athas is a deputy editor on the Newsroom Development & Support team at The Times, which trains reporters and editors on new skills and tools. More about Eric Athas

How to Make Your Smartphone Better

These days, smartphones include tools to help you more easily connect with the people you want to contact — and avoid those you don’t. Here are some tips .

Trying to spend less time on your phone? The “Do Not Disturb” mode can help you set boundaries and signal that it may take you a while to respond .

To comply with recent European regulations, Apple will make a switch to USB-C charging for its iPhones. Here is how to navigate the change .

Photo apps have been using A.I. for years to give you control over the look of your images. Here’s how to take advantage of that .

The loss of your smartphone can be disruptive and stressful. Taking a few simple steps ahead of time can make things easier if disaster strikes .

Many default settings make us share superfluous amounts of data with tech companies. Here’s how to shut those off .

I'm Gen Z, and I quit social media. I'm less anxious and have more time now.

• A year ago I realized how high my screen time was on my phone. 
• I slowly started deleting social media apps; X was the hardest to get rid of. 
• I feel better without them and I'm never going back to social media. 

A year ago, I checked the screen time setting on my phone and was horrified. I had a full-time job, a collection of hobbies, and many friends I would see regularly, and yet my daily screen time sat at a pretty consistent 10 hours.

I didn't understand how I could spend that much time on my phone each day. Thankfully, I could see all of that, too. Three hours a day on X three hours on TikTok, an hour on Instagram , an hour on Facebook. Every single day.

And for what reason? Well, I couldn't think of one. So I quit .

I deleted social media apps

I decided I'd had enough, and so I started deleting the apps. Not all in one go, I might add. I started with Facebook : I didn't use it as much as the others, so it couldn't be too hard.

That went OK, so then I tried Instagram . Again, I managed. It was an unusual feeling going to click on an app that was no longer there and that took some work just to stop doing automatically.

I moved a news app to its place and would unintentionally open that about 15 times a day, my brain subconsciously thinking it could reach Instagram. I had to do this with each, replacing every social media app with one that would at least give me something worthwhile to read or do.

Related stories

X was the hardest nut to crack, and I underestimated how difficult it would be. When I look back now, I don't even really understand what I was doing on there. Was I worried I would miss a key piece of news? The latest topical joke?

I have more time to do other things

It doesn't feel like I've missed anything now that I've gotten over it. But the FOMO was, without doubt, the worst part about quitting.

Growing up as Gen Z in the era of social media has made leaving it behind tough. All my friends still use it, as does nearly everyone else I speak to. When I tell them I quit, I usually receive a raised eyebrow followed by a "Really?"

It's been like overcoming an addiction. Though social media addictions aren't considered the same as serious addictions such as drugs or alcohol, they change the balance of chemicals in your brain in the same way.

I actually experienced relapses, which might seem surprising. But I would, from time to time, re-download one of the apps. Or log on my laptop. It took a lot of time to cut it out altogether, and often, I'd have to use special apps that locked me out of my phone or blocked software on my laptop.

It seemed ridiculous that quitting these apps was such hard work. But having gone through it, it's been absolutely worth it.

The change in my anxiety levels has been particularly noticeable. I'm not suggesting it's a cure for anxiety, but I now no longer need to know everything that everyone is doing all the time.

Instagram and Facebook, where people post constantly about the most interesting part of their lives, had exacerbated this. The constant comparisons to others on these platforms caused part of the anxiety, leaving me feeling inadequate. I've been able to shake that off too.

Not only that, but I now feel like I have more time to do genuinely enriching things. I read more; I get more out of exercise. Even when it comes to TV and films, I am far more immersed in what's happening. I didn't do it for work, but I'm more efficient at that now as well.

I don't miss social media, and I have absolutely no plans to go back.

Watch: Tinder is 'obsessively' thinking about how to reach Gen Z, says CMO Melissa Hobley

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Amna Khalid says institutions need to rethink DEI initiatives.

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Pushing back on DEI ‘orthodoxy’

Panelists support diversity efforts but worry that current model is too narrow, denying institutions the benefit of other voices, ideas

Nikki Rojas

Harvard Staff Writer

It’s time to take a harder look at the role of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in higher education.

That was the overall theme of a searing panel discussion at Smith Campus Center on Thursday. Titled “Academic Freedom, DEI, & the Future of Higher Education,” the event featured scholars specializing in law, history, politics, and diversity.

“The power of diversity for learning is irreplaceable,” said panelist Amna Khalid, associate professor of history at Carleton College in Minnesota. “It is incredible, and it is a value that I strongly believe in as someone who is the product of various educational systems.”

However, Khalid shared that she often finds herself at odds with the approach DEI practitioners take in higher education — an approach she termed “DEI Inc.”

Khalid wrote an opinion piece with Carlton colleague Jeffrey Aaron Snyder last year for the Chronicle of Higher Education. The essay, titled “ Yes, DEI Can Erode Academic Freedom. Let’s Not Pretend Otherwise ,” argues that under the logic of the prevailing DEI model, “Education is a product, students are consumers, and campus diversity is a customer-service issue that needs to be administered from the top down.”

All too often, Khalid said at the event, practitioners implement a “model underscored by a notion of harm and that students somehow need to be protected from harm.”

Jeannie Suk Gersen, John H. Watson, Jr. Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, agreed with that assessment and said that people who object to DEI do not often equate it to the idea of diversity.

“It’s, in fact, a set of ideas that have become very narrowed to one specific orthodoxy about what diversity means, what equity and inclusion mean, so that it shuts out a whole bunch of other ideas about what diversity, equity, and inclusion may be,” Suk Gersen said.

The lone voice to advocate for a professionalized and accountable DEI workforce was Stacy Hawkins, a Rutgers University law professor and scholar of DEI.

“Perhaps it’s simply just the introduction of diversity into our institutions that’s going to create discomfort — that’s going to make it harder to have the same conversations, to do the same things, to say and behave in the same ways that we used to,” said Hawkins, who underscored the challenge of welcoming diverse students without diverse faculty. “But that doesn’t mean that it’s not a worthwhile exercise to try.”

Panelists also fielded questions on academic freedom and free speech, and whether DEI infringes on those rights.

DEI is “almost always wrong in the sense that it subverts classical liberal principles of the academic mission of open inquiry, truth seeking, knowledge creation, research, and debating ideas,” responded panelist Ilya Shapiro, senior fellow and director of constitutional studies at the Manhattan Institute.

He went on to quote Hanna Holborn Gray, former president of the University of Chicago, who once said: “Education should not be intended to make people comfortable; it is meant to make them think.”

Shapiro proved the only panelist to argue for the total elimination of university DEI offices without replacing them with other structures designed to achieve diversity goals. Instead, he said that student affairs, compliance officers, and admissions should assume any responsibilities related to diversity.

Last week’s discussion was sponsored by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences’ Civil Discourse Initiative , the Harvard College Intellectual Vitality Initiative , and the Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics .

Also discussed were social media and the distorted views it surfaces on DEI.

Hawkins noted that DEI takes a real beating on the platforms, all while cancel culture is the true driver behind most modern outrage. “There is this heightened sense of awareness,” she said. “There’s this heightened sense of accountability. There is this heightened sense of threat. And this heightened sense of punitive action, all surrounding a larger cultural phenomenon that has nothing to do with diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

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