What Makes Social Media So Addicting?
The definition of social media is an interaction among people to share, create, or exchange ideas virtually. People often use social media to post or even express their feelings which can create conflict at times. But what does it mean to us? What I like about social media is I can still connect with and see how my family, friends, and people in my past are doing. Another thing I like about social media is reading positive messages and quotes when I am feeling down. Also, I have learned a lot educationally on social media, and it has helped me achieve my goals and dreams. What I do not like about social media is that it does distract me from the present. I often find myself looking at Instagram when I’m around people instead of being present in the moment.
This begs the question of what makes social media so addicting. There have been multiple studies conducted on why social media has become exponentially more toxic. It usually affects teenagers more than other age groups for a variety of reasons.
According to Health Line, social media has become damaging to many teenagers’ mental and physical health. Teens spend an average of two and a half hours on social media each day. Studies show that social media such as Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram all have a significant influence on teenagers from Gen Z. According to New Sports Academy the overuse of the apps exposes teens to cyberbullying, body image issues, and tech addiction, and results in less time spent doing healthy, real-world activities.
While social media may not cause harm to some, the effects of it can be detrimental to others. Certain habits and patterns within modern social media can be toxic to younger minds.
Aspiring to be the “perfect size,” have the “best clothes,” or “the trendiest products,” and have hundreds of likes on an Instagram post, can damage self-confidence. Social media has harmful effects both physically and mentally. Teens often spend much time looking up to influencers, trying to please others, and forcing themselves to be someone they are not, simply because they want to be noticed. The hardest part about social media is the influence to change who they are, not for themselves, but for popularity or for a crush or to be seen in general. Bettering oneself and growing is something everyone should all want to do and achieve.
The Washington Post announced that 31% of social media usage is powered by the inability to control looking at our devices without help. According to Calstate Edu, the phenomenon of social media being too addictive is primarily caused by the dopamine-inducing social environments that social media sites provide. Some people may even experience withdrawal symptoms when they are not actively engaging with apps. The addictive use of social media can resemble other substance use disorders and mood changes such as anxiety.
Although social media can be addicting for its toxicity, it can also be beneficial for positive and motivational reasons. Some of those reasons include having a sense of belonging, learning about different perspectives, or communicating with people to see what they have going on. It can also be used to find people with shared experiences.
As well as including academic purposes and efforts to educate people on different topics, social media is beneficial in a number of ways. If someone is homeschooled or only goes to school twice a week, for instance, Educational sites are very helpful. Social media can also be used to promote or inspire small start-up businesses, such as having a small jewelry business on Instagram.
While an integral part of our generation, social media can have detrimental effects on the mental health of teenagers if used excessively and effectively. It's important to understand its potential impact and to be sure it is used responsibly and positively.
By Izzy Jones & Charlee Rice