Social media addiction (SMA) is a rising phenomenon impacting countless people, especially young adults, around the world. As it follows a similar neurochemical pathway compared to other forms of addiction, social media addiction is not an incurable condition with various treatment options offering symptom relief and psychological improvement.

Excessive and compulsive use of social media interferes with one’s healthy patterns of work, sleep, and social relationships. Extensive research studies demonstrate the harmful effects of SMA on psychological well-being. SMA can lead to mental disorders such as anxiety and depression. An estimated 10 percent of people suffer from SMA in the United States.

The Personality and Individual Differences journal published a study discussing how social media triggers addictive behavior. The study highlighted two key human needs - belonging and self-presentation - fed by social media platforms such as Facebook. Interacting on social media fosters a sense of belonging through shared communities and encourages self-presentation via posting personal experiences through text, photos, and videos.

Like other behavioral addictions, SMA stimulates pleasure pathways in the brain. People who regularly use social media become attached to incoming notifications, which boost dopamine flow in the brain. Dopamine is known as the pleasure hormone; its release results in a surge of pleasure which can become addictive.

As social media stimulates the reward pathway, people continue to scroll and browse more keenly, pursuing the next dopamine hit. Over time, tolerance may develop where an hour of social media use is no longer enough to trigger dopamine. Consequently, people spend more and more time online, creating an unhealthy dependency and addiction to social media.

Other factors can nurture a growing need to check and use social media. For instance, fear of missing out (FOMO) refers to a feeling of mixed anxiety and envy triggered when one misses out on experiences shared by others. Fearing exclusion, social media users obsessively go online to ensure they’re not missing out on the latest updates from their social circles.

Additionally, pre-existing mental health issues can predispose people to SMA. Some rely on social media to relieve their anxiety or to distract themselves from their problems. Teens and young adults are particularly prone to SMA. Signs of SMA can include compulsive phone checking, stressing about posting on social media, stalking, oversharing, and avoiding real life to spend time on social media. SMA can exacerbate feelings of isolation, resulting in lower self-esteem and empathy.

If left unchecked, these signs snowball into serious issues that impact one’s ability to perform other tasks such as work, exercise, study, or sleep. Curbing social media use can be difficult, but it’s necessary to establish a healthy life balance and prevent mental health complications.

People opt for social media breaks where they delete social media applications off their phones for a while to distance themselves from the online world. Limiting phone use is effective in countering SMA. For instance, people can turn off their phones during work hours or in class.

To avoid feelings of boredom that may crawl during time off social media, one can explore new hobbies not related to technology. Participating in outdoor activities like playing sports, camping, or signing up for art or cooking classes can engage the brain in a fun, rewarding activity. Spending time with family and friends can realign one’s social energy levels while relieving loneliness.