Addiction is “the compulsive physiological need for and use of a habit-forming substance”. The most commonly known addictions include drugs like nicotine, alcohol, cocaine, and more. However, if social media isn’t considered a drug or a substance, then why is it addictive? 

According to a recent study by Harvard University, social media is designed to have and deliver the same effect to the specific parts of your brain when you use addictive substances. So, while you are scrolling through and looking at social media, it produces the same neural circuitry that is created by recreational drugs and activities to keep their customers from using and doing it again and again.

Social media addiction is one of the most widely discussed addictions, especially since the pandemic last year and this year. Due to the fact that people had no choice but to stay at home and quarantine for an extended amount of time, social media, particularly TikTok and Instagram, became an integral part of everyone's lives. Even if you are not hooked to social media, it has numerous negative consequences such as low self-esteem, sadness, anxiety, FOMO (fear of missing out), cyberbullying, and so on. Although most people's use of social media is not necessarily unpleasant and troublesome, overuse and addiction have been shown to affect the brain and body. 

According to Addiction Center, being hooked to social media has the same negative consequences as any other addiction, including mood changes, salience, tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, conflict, and relapse. Many internet users are unaware of their social media addiction, but you may find out if you are by asking yourself these six questions from Addiction Center.

Do you spend a significant amount of time thinking about or planning to use social media? Do you have a strong desire to use social media more frequently? Do you use social media to distract yourself from personal issues? Do you frequently try but fail to minimize your use of social media? Do you become agitated or distressed if you are unable to use social media, and, finally, do you use social media to the point where it has impacted your career or studies? If you answered yes to more than three of these questions, you most certainly have a social media addiction.

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