The word 'addiction' is defined by the NHS as not having control over doing, taking or using something to the point where it could be harmful to you. 🙅 It could be argued that this is a very extreme term to use with regards to social media use, however it is becoming an increasing problem in the digital age we live in.
Almost everyone in today's society has access to social media on their digital devices, with it becoming easier than ever to download and create a profile on apps such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.📱
The link between social media and mental health has become a common topic of discussion in recent years. With individuals' online activity increasing year after year, this has been deemed to negatively impact people's mental health. Young people in particular are most at risk, with many medical professionals believing that it can in some cases cause symptoms such as anxiety and depression.😞
Excessive use of social media has also been said to cause other issues. For example; people neglecting aspects of life such as relationships and education, opting to spend most of their time in front of their screens with little contact with the outside world. 🌍 Some view social media as a way to submerge and forget about external problems they may be facing, which ultimately leads them not being able to resolve these problems and prolonging them further making the consequences even more severe.
But how can we help people reduce their social media usage? Whilst it is the individual user's responsibility to ensure they are not overdoing it online, the input of social media companies as well help from close family/friends could help people reduce their habits.
By conveying the negative consequences of spending too much time on social sites, this could also encourage more people to re-think how long they spend on their devices and instead focus on the things that matter in the real-world. 📵
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