Over the past few decades, the world has been increasing the use of electronics at incredible rates. Nowadays, most people don’t leave the house without some sort of device whether it be for work, school, or a personal means of communication. With this increase of new technology, the internet has become a regular part of our lives and with that, social media has found its place amongst the majority of these devices. Social media is used to communicate and share information with people all around the globe and has become a source of entertainment, inspiration, and even marketing. However, the impacts of social media have begun to be analyzed and people are discovering that the risks of social media are starting to outweigh the benefits. I will specifically discuss social media addiction (SMA), and within that argument, address what makes social media addictive and how it can negatively affect its user psychologically, biologically, and sociologically. That being said, let me begin with my first topic: what makes social media so addictive?
One of the key reasons social media is so addictive is due to the algorithm's ability to adapt its content to suit individual interests and preferences. By analyzing what a user spends the most time on and interacts with, algorithms can identify patterns and make predictions about what type of content that users will most likely enjoy. Social media platforms are counting on individuals becoming hooked. Social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc., all make profits from prolonged scrolling and digital advertising. This means the longer an individual scrolls, the more profit social media companies make off the digital ads, views, and in-app purchases. Additionally, each platform is competing for users' time and attention, meaning each platform has to find new ways to make their programs entertaining and attention grabbing so as to not lose their audience. Julian Morgans wrote an informative article on how the use of snap streaks, the like button, notifications, etc., keep you addicted and coming back for more through the tactic of social feedback and validation. “And of course, all these little efforts to keep us hooked are having a very real impact. As Facebook's current head of marketing bragged in this speech, the average millennial checks their phone 157 times daily. That's a total average of 145 minutes every day that we're trying to feel connected, validated—and liked” (Morgans, J. 2017, May 18).
Furthermore, one great example can be found in the article The brave blue world: Facebook flow and Facebook Addiction Disorder (FAD). In this article, the authors discuss Facebook flow experience, time distortion, and the intensity of Facebook use in general. They argue Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's definition of flow experience, “the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience is so enjoyable that people will continue to do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it.” Essentially, social media use can induce a state of hyperfixation, commonly referred to as a “flow experience”, which researchers have started to link to addictive media use. Flow refers to the heightened sense of pleasure and enjoyment one experiences from being in an intense state of immersion while engaging in an activity. Many have reported experiencing this phenomenon while playing video games and using social media. This level of immersion often distorts the user's perception of time and in the case of social media, results in prolonged media use. Likewise, it has been determined by researchers that the correlation between flow and SMA is enhanced by this experience of time distortion. (Brailovskaya, J. et al.’s 2018). While this article specifically discusses this in Facebook users, people can experience time distortion and flow experience when using any social media, which is what makes media so captivating.
Another aspect of social media addiction are dopamine loops and social-validation feedback loops people experience from the likes and comments and from simply using social media. Researchers Hüseyin B. Macit et al. explains that when a person performs or experiences a pleasurable action, the brain releases dopamine. As quickly as it appears, the chemical withdraws, leaving your brain seeking that reward and anticipating that you redo that action. It's the repeated loop of Activity -> Reward -> Anticipation -> Activity, and so on. This is the dopamine feedback loop. The social-validation feedback loop stems from the same dopamine reward one gets from posting and interacting on social media platforms. This loop evokes the human need for validation from others that many people strive for and can get from positive feedback on their posts in the form of likes and supportive comments. As a result, this desire for validation can become addicting and push people to use these platforms more. (Macit, H. B. et al., 2018, p. 883, 892)
Macit et al. (2018) also argue that social media can be a gateway to trying other dopamine-inducing activities in an effort of seeking that same or similar reward. Their research on this topic also points to how social media is just as addictive as drugs and alcohol and even results in many similar biological and psychological symptoms. “Using [the] internet imitates the stimulation of alcohol, cigarettes, and other substances, giving a quick reward with a short delay and causes motivation to more reward seeking behavior. The data obtained by neuroimaging are increasing for internet addiction.” (p. 893) Similar to how social media causes dopamine loops, other addictions have been known to have the same effect on the brain. This pleasurable nero-chemical is a large part of what makes things addictive in the first place. So it’s not all that surprising that social media is so addictive when comparing the physiological reactions to other addictions. The article has a table with examples of addiction behavior measurements in SMA with the following categories: draw attention, emotional change, tolerance, deprivation, recurrence. This table shows that people share the same behavior towards being addicted to social media as they do with other addictions such as cigarettes, alcohol, gambling, food, sex, etc. (Macit, H. B. et al., 2018, p. 890, 893)
SMA also has negative effects on the mind and physical body. There have been several studies done looking at how these platforms affect us, and with the daily prolonged use experienced by those who are addicted, the effects are only growing. Betul Keleş et al. (2019) states that social media has been linked to insomnia and poor sleep among adolescent users, as well as increased risk of depression, anxiety, psychological distress, and lower self-esteem. Betul Keleş et al. continues to describe the increase of mental illness with the rise of social media: “[...] the prevalence of anxiety and depression has increased by 70% in the past 25 years in young people. Depression and anxiety have adverse consequences on adolescent development, including lower educational attainment, school dropout, impaired social relationships, and increased risk of substance abuse, mental health problems, and suicide reported that the rate of self-harm in the UK has risen by 68% in girls aged 13–16 over the last 10 years.” (Keleş, B. Y. et al., 2019) As the quotation illustrates, mental illness in adolescents has started to increase exponentially over the past decade. They looked at several studies done to support the correlation between the increase in mental distress and social media. It was concluded that this distress could be influenced by addictive behavior, internalizing symptoms, social comparison, and normalizing of psychological distress. This article also examines the decrease in physical activity and adverse consequences in the development of adolescents with the rise of mental health issues.
On the topic of physiological effects, Vikram R. Bhargava et al. (2020) wrote a scholarly article on the problem of SMA and focused on the unique ethical problems and effects it has compared to other addictions. They adopt the capabilities approach first proposed by Martha C. Nussbaum, which is an innovative model for assessing the quality of life that people are actually capable of achieving. According to Nussbaum's theory, there are ten distinct human capabilities that are essential for upholding human dignity and leading a life that reflects that dignity. These human capabilities are as follows: life, bodily health, bodily integrity, senses, imagination and thought, emotions, practical reason, affiliation, and play. Vikram R. Bhargava et al. have concluded that social media addiction violates at least seven of these human capabilities when correlating researchers findings with them. They debate an increase in suicidal ideation and attempts, depression, social anxiety, low self-esteem, hostility toward others, alienation from family and peers, loneliness, and poor interpersonal relationships. They also found a decrease in sleep quality, physical activity, and the capacity to reason accurately, think clearly, and participate in activities that demand focused thinking. Lastly, researchers analyzed that substance abuse rates are higher in those with SMA and it leads to reduced social activities, less family time, and decreased family closeness. (Bhargava, V. R. et al., 2020)
On a similar note, Rachel F. Rodgers et al. (2020) did a study on the connection between social media use, mental health, and body image in adolescents. Their findings confirmed that social media can have negative effects on users' mental health, body image, and other related behaviors. “Specifically, social media use was correlated weakly-to-moderately with lower self-esteem, higher depressive symptoms, higher internalization of appearance ideals, higher tendency to engage in appearance comparison, dietary restraint, body dissatisfaction, and muscle change behaviors among both girls and boys. In addition, low self-esteem and depressive symptoms were both correlated with the internalization of muscularity and social media-related appearance ideals, as well as appearance comparison.” (Rodgers, R. F. et al., 2020) This study shows how social media can have biopsychosocial effects on its users, and in many cases, has become harmful to numerous adolescents. The impacts listed in this quote were concluded to be caused by the following: appearance comparison, internalized appearance ideals, social media influencers. Summarily, individuals have a tendency to compare themselves to their own internalized standards of attractiveness and intelligence.
In conclusion, social media has become a significant influence in our society and personal lives, and as a result, its damaging effects are starting to manifest. Social media addiction is a growing problem affecting hundreds of people globally and has been shown to have an adverse impact on both mental and physical health. According to researchers, social media addiction results from dopamine loops, social-validation feedback loops, flow experience, and adaptive algorithms. Studies have also revealed that SMA increases the risk of depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, low self-esteem, self-harm, poor body image, insomnia, and even substance abuse. Moreover, researchers have found that individuals with SMA have reduced levels of physical activity. Despite the many benefits of social media, the negative impacts can outweigh the positives if one is not cautious about their usage. Social media addiction is a sneaky issue, as it can captivate and ensnare individuals without them even realizing it. Therefore, it is crucial to be mindful of the reasons and frequency that it's used in our daily lives.
References
Morgans, J. (2017, May 18). The Secret Ways Social Media Is Built for Addiction. Vice. https://www.vice.com/en/article/vv5jkb/the-secret-ways-social-media-is-built-for-addiction.
Brailovskaia, J., Rohmann, E., Bierhoff, H. W., & Margraf, J. (2018). The brave blue world: Facebook flow and Facebook Addiction Disorder (FAD). PLOS ONE, 13(7), e0201484. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0201484.
Macit, H. B., Macit, G., & Güngör, O. (2018). A RESEARCH ON SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION AND DOPAMINE DRIVEN FEEDBACK. Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversitesi İktisadi Ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi, 5(3), 882–897. https://doi.org/10.30798/makuiibf.435845.
Keleş, B. Y., McCrae, N., & Grealish, A. (2019). A systematic review: the influence of social media on depression, anxiety and psychological distress in adolescents. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), 79–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2019.1590851.
Bhargava, V. R., & Velásquez, M. (2020). Ethics of the Attention Economy: The Problem of Social Media Addiction. Business Ethics Quarterly, 31(3), 321–359. https://doi.org/10.1017/beq.2020.32.
Rodgers, R. F., Slater, A., Gordon, C. S., McLean, S. A., Jarman, H. K., & Paxton, S. J. (2020). A Biopsychosocial Model of Social Media Use and Body Image Concerns, Disordered Eating, and Muscle-Building Behaviors among Adolescent Girls and Boys. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 49(2), 399–409. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-019-01190-0.
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