Have you ever asked yourself why is social media so addictive? Digital age addiction falls into five categories - device addictions, information overload, net compulsions, cybersexual addiction, and cyber-relationship addiction. There is an absence of clear-cut protocols to detect and classify social media overuse and addiction, perhaps because it is difficult to know if people are addicted to the medium or the interaction. According to Dahah Boyd, author of the book "It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens," most teens are actually addicted to each other. What about adults? About 70 percent of them use social media 23 hours per week on average!
Why is social media so addictive? Communication takes place during online interaction and fulfills a need to be connected with others. Being connected gives our world sense and meaning. Other factors that lead to addiction are:
1. Social Validation
This is a huge driving force in social network use. Platforms such as Facebook help validate our existence.
2. Fear of Missing out
We do not want to miss out on what is going on in our community, country or around the world.
***We do not want to miss out on what is going on in our community, country, or around the world. This constant connection to social media helps us stay in the loop with trending topics, local news, and even global events. The fear that we might be the last to know or excluded from crucial conversations can drive us to check our feeds obsessively. This perpetual urgency to remain informed and involved can easily become overwhelming, blurring the lines between necessity and compulsion. The idea of missing out on experiences, insights, or even memes shared by friends can be a powerful motivator, reinforcing our regular engagement with these platforms.
3. Ego
Our egos need a showcase platform. Did you know about 80 percent of online conversations involve self-disclosure?
4. Social Comparison
Having our social connections reaffirmed makes us feel good. We compare ourselves to assess strengths and weaknesses.
5. Brain Chemistry
Social networks are psychologically and physically addictive. Self-disclosure online can actually fire up a part of the brain that also lights up when taking addictive drugs!
