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Help with social media addiction
Social Media Addiction
Social media addiction can be very difficult to recognize. If you find yourself unable to stop using social media, chatting, or other internet activities, you may have a social media addiction.
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What is social media addiction?
A world without the internet is unimaginable. Some people use it more than others, but some cannot live offline anymore. Social media addiction is a relatively new phenomenon that is becoming increasingly common, and it is still difficult to recognize. This makes this addiction even more dangerous. The online world can become a substitute for the real world, causing you to become increasingly disconnected from reality and ending up in a social isolation. The goal is to find a healthy balance and make constructive use of the internet. There are different forms of social media addiction or internet addiction. Another common form is game addiction.
Read more about game addictionAm I addicted to social media?
When are you addicted to social media?
Social media addiction is very difficult to recognize. Being online on different social media platforms such as Facebook or Instagram is normal for many people. We only speak of social media addiction when it comes at the expense of offline contact. Online interaction in this case is often a complete replacement for offline contact. Often, your 'real life' is subservient to your online life. Someone who is addicted to social media can have similar symptoms to someone with another addiction, such as restlessness, lying about usage, irritation, and depressive feelings.
When are you addicted?Behavioral addictions
Consequences of Social Media Addiction
Like other behavioral addictions, addiction to social media can lead to many problems in terms of social contacts, home life, and work. Your functioning is negatively affected, and you begin to miss more and more tasks. Eventually, this leads to disruption of your daily life. The problems and consequences gradually merge, and you end up in a negative spiral. This increases the need to escape into undesirable behavior, and so the vicious circle is complete. We often see that an increase in problems due to your behavioral addiction can also lead to substance addiction, such as alcohol or drugs.
How U-center Treats Your Addiction
Internet Addiction and Psychological Problems
Social media addiction often arises in combination with other psychological problems. For example, you may develop an internet addiction as a way to avoid unpleasant events or to escape from a personal problem. In this case, social media, chatting, or gaming may start as a coping mechanism and turn into an addiction after prolonged excessive use.
Addiction and Comorbidity
This page has been professionally reviewed on medical accuracy
At U-center, we understand the importance of providing reliable and accurate information to our visitors. That's why we have experts in the field review our website to ensure that all information presented is medically accurate.
Page Reviewed by:
Hans Zander
Addiction Specialist Doctor
Hans Zander is a dedicated addiction specialist at U-center who has reviewed this page to ensure that all information is accurate and reliable.