“SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION”
Submitted by – Krishna Bajpai
By virtue of being interactive, social media is made up of a society or individuals communicating with one another. As far as it can be explained, social media is a social networking tool. In traditional media, there is only one-way contact, in which the content only conveys information. Television is an example of this. While this medium can provide visual information, we, as viewers and recipients of the information, are unable to provide input to the sender of the message. Different elements are present in the contact process. The post, the sender, the channel, and the receiver are the four components. The internet is the medium by which social media is communicated. The recipient should provide input to the sender in the same way as they can in a conversation. This is useful because the sender would be able to determine if the message was sent correctly, as well as the receiver's reaction to the idea he or she has got. Social networking has crept from our computer screens to our mobile devices over the last decade. We can upload images straight from our phones to our social media pages, respond to messages instantly, and see what our families and friends have been up to with the swipe of a finger. With our phones still within reach, it's all too tempting to become enamoured with social media, which can have a negative impact on our relationships with others. So, here are some suggestions for overcoming your social media addiction. Social media has emerged as an influential and effective platform for voter education, political advocacy, and the rapid dissemination of information. A individual without a social media account is considered obsolete in today's society. Personal and professional lives have been transformed by social media. A typical smartphone user can't go a day without checking a social media site. As a result, social media can be used to actively target specific voters, inspire people to exercise their right to vote, and spread awareness. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube are examples of social media sites that help people become more active in politics. Excessive SNS use has been linked to symptoms traditionally associated with substance-related addictions, according to an increasing body of scientific evidence. According to a 2014 report, adolescents' excessive use of technology has disrupted their physical and mental wellbeing, sleeping habits, weight and exercise levels, and, most importantly, their schoolwork And when in the restroom, 40% of young adults and 21% of adults confess to using social media. Why can't we manage to get away from social media, even if it's only for a few minutes? Social media is addictive, according to reports. Our brain's reward region has been influenced by all the retweets and Facebook likes, according to research. Interaction on social media is like syringing dopamine directly into the machine. The reward system in the brain, which is thought to be at the root of addiction, is stimulated by social media use. For a small percentage of people, using social networking sites may become their most important task, leading to a preoccupation with SNS use (salience). The activities on these websites are then used to trigger mood swings, pleasurable feelings, or a numbing effect (mood modification). To maintain the same feelings and state of mind7 that existed during the early stages of use, increased quantities of time and energy must be invested in SNS activities (tolerance) When addicted individuals stop using SNSs, they will experience negative psychological and sometimes physiological symptoms (withdrawal), which will also lead to them resuming their SNS use (relapse). Intrapsychic disputes (within the individual, sometimes involving a subjective loss of control) and interpersonal conflicts (i.e., issues with the immediate social environment, including relationship problems and work and/or education being jeopardised) occur as a result of problematic SNS usage. Over the last decade, research on problematic and potentially addictive cell phone usage (including smartphones) has exploded (Lopez-Fernandez, Kuss, Griffiths, and Billieux, 2015), implying that certain people may develop addiction-related issues as a result of their phone use. According to recent studies, problematic cell phone usage is a multi-faceted issue, with dependent use being one potential outcome (Billieux, Maurage, Lopez-Fernandez, Kuss, and Griffiths, 2015). The use of particular apps, such as calls, text messages, and social networking, is indicative of an addictive trend of cell phone use. This implies that, rather than being an addictive tool in and of themselves, mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets are simply media that allow the participation in potentially addictive behaviours such as the use of social media sites. To put it another way, phone users are no more addicted to their phones than alcoholics are to their bottle
5 Reasons to Be Concerned About Your Social Media Use
Cooking for Instagram: What is more important when making a beautiful salad for lunch? Is it better to eat the salad or post a picture on social media? The visual element of food has become much more relevant than the functional one, thanks to the popularity of Instagram. This has fueled the fires of food waste. We're losing our ability to adequately prepare meals and shop safely, resulting in a lot of wasted food. As a result, if you're spending all of your time making things just to post on Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest, it's time to take a step back and assess your situation.
Sharing what you do at all times: Do you have friends you never see but know what they're up to at all times? If that's the case, you're almost certainly someone's "social media mate." According to Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, author of "The Distraction Addiction," , , “Rather than what we do [in the real world], we are interested in how much fun we have or what we do on social media.” Of course, we want to share incredible experiences with our mates, such as holidays or concerts, but are we losing out on more than we benefit by being distracted by a phone and trying to get the perfect shot?
Learning what there is to know about people you don't know well: According to Pang, the most telling sign of social media addiction is knowing what there is to know about people we just know a little about in real life. We have access to information such as where we sit, what we do, mates, loved ones, and what we ate for breakfast. This allows for a level of intimacy that is rarely found among true friends. The amount of information we have about someone without ever meeting them is a reflection of how much time we spend on social media. According to a Pew Research survey, 88 percent of teens who use social media personally "accept that people post too much personal information on social media." Why do we do it if there is such wide agreement on it?
Being depressed as a result of comparing yourself to social media personas: Envy is one of the indicators that your social media addiction has reached dangerous levels in your life. We can now track people on their journeys to exotic locations, concerts, and activities thanks to continuous access to media. The freedom to choose what we post has paved the way for the creation of online personas. We are aware that we only see a small portion of reality online, but we often choose to ignore this truth. If your addiction has progressed to the point that you are jealous of your friends' birthdays, presents, houses, cars, wives, and even body measurements, then your addiction has reached a dangerously high level.
Being unhappy when you can't access your phone: Do you get irritated when you can't monitor Facebook while waiting at a traffic light or when you can't click through Twitter before going to bed because you can't reach your phone? According to one report, Americans check their phones every twelve minutes, with one out of every ten checking them every four minutes. When they are unable to do so, they experience distress. This just goes to show how reliant we are on technology and how social media and technology addiction is a serious problem.
Examine the need for social media: A social media addiction can develop as a result of a lack of activity, a desire for publicity, or a desire to communicate with others. Take some time to write down your thoughts on this to figure out what's causing the issue. Make a strategy to solve the problem after you've assessed the roots. Find interesting things to do offline if your problems are caused by boredom.
Spend More Time With Your Loved Ones: Rather than keeping up with the lives of your friends and family members through a tablet, spend time with them in person and reconnect with them. Make fresh memories and keep them personal to you; you don't need to take selfies for anything you do
Call instead of checking social media: You could have developed a social media addiction as a result of using a website to connect with others rather than calling them. You may have become engrossed in the web while waiting for their answer and developed an addiction as a result. Instead of using social media applications, consider having phone conversations with friends and relatives.
Meet people in real life ( IRL): You can meet people in real life in a variety of ways. You could enter a club, go to a talk, and plan a get-together where all your friends bring a friend, or you could go on a singles night. Whatever you do, you'll be meeting new people in real life, which beats stalking your ex on Facebook, obsessing about celebrities' Instagram accounts, or trying to take the perfect workout selfie.
8. Get out of the house: Social media has caused many people to remain indoors and communicate with others through their phones. Getting out of the house and having some fun is the most positive and definitely the most enjoyable way to combat your social media addiction. Make plans to see a movie or eat dinner with your friends. Bowling, swimming, hiking, or shopping are all options. There are some safe and enjoyable ways to deal with your addiction when unwinding.
Treat It Like A Treat: Treat social media like a treat. You can not buy artisanal coffee every day or have your nails done every week, but you can treat yourself to these little pleasures when you feel deserving. So, think of social media in the same way: just give yourself screen time after you've accomplished something or completed a task. . In this way, you might be able to change your mind about social media
10. Switch Off Notifications: By removing notifications from your everyday routine, you can find it easier to focus on your daily tasks and avoid being easily distracted. Notifications serve as a daily reminder that something is going on in the online world, and they can make you feel as though you're missing out. Switch off your alerts to alleviate your fear of missing out (FOMO). The added benefit is that when you finally get around to updating your social media, you may have a backlog of updates, which will make the process more fun and satisfying.
References
Simon Kemp (2019) Digital 2019: Global Internet use Accelerates. Retrieved from: https://wearesocial.com/blog/2019/01/digital-2019-global-internet-use-accelerates
Irfan Ahmad (2019) The most popular social media platforms in 2019 Retrieved from: https://www.digitalinformationworld.com/2019/01/most-popular-global-social-networksapps-infographic.html?m=1