Signs You’re at Risk for Social Media Addiction
With no official clinical definition for social media addiction, it can be tough to diagnose someone. If you consider some of the signs of Internet and gaming addictions, you get a good idea of what it means to be addicted to social media:
Preoccupation — constantly thinking about using social media and checking status updates
Tolerance — needing more and more time on social media sites to feel satisfied
Lack of control — inability to cut back or stop using sites or using sites for much longer than intended
Withdrawal — feeling bad, anxious or depressed when not using social media
Negative consequences — experiencing some type of negative consequence, such as relationship issues, financial problems or a lost job, yet continuing to use social media
Escaping emotions — using social media to escape feelings of depression, loneliness, guilt or anxiety
These are signs that are used to describe someone with an Internet addiction disorder, but they can easily be applied to someone who has a problem with social media. If you can’t say that you experience all or even a couple of these signs, yet you recognize some of your own behaviors in them, you might be at risk for developing an addiction. For example, maybe you lose track of time when you’re online checking your various social media accounts. You planned to be online for a half an hour and two hours pass before you realize it.
If you are questioning your social media habit, chances are you could stand to cut back. Before you become a full-blown addict, take the time to change your relationship to social media. Set boundaries and limitations. Meet friends in real time. Read a book or take a walk. Stay away from social media for a period of time and see how much better you feel.