Social Media Addiction: What It Is and 4 Ways to Overcome It

What is social media addiction?

Binging Netflix? Doom scrolling Twitter? Wasting endless hours on Tik Tok? In a world dominated by technology and smart devices, losing minutes and even hours to the internet is not unheard of. The websites and apps eating away most of our time fall under the category of social media. While initially developed as a convenient way to stay connected with friends and family, social media has become almost integral in our society. Researchers have described social networking sites as a “global consumer phenomenon” due to their exponential rise in engagement within the last few years (Kuss & Griffiths, 2011). As a result of this, research on the topic of social media addiction has grown immensely. Researchers have described the phenomenon as extreme use of social media to a point where it interferes with daily life (Nakaya, 2015).  

While no official diagnosis may be available, researchers have created the Social Media Disorder Scale with 27 items throughout 9 categories: Preoccupation, Tolerance, Withdrawal, Persistence, Escape, Problems, Deception, Displacement, and Conflict (Van Den Eijnden, Lemmens & Valkenburg, 2016). Participants scoring 5 or higher are labeled as having a social media disorder. It is unsurprising that estimates have stated that up to 18% of Americans could potentially have a social media addiction (Kircaburun, Demetrovics & Tosuntaş, 2019). Try asking yourself these questions:

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During the past year have you...

1. Often found it difficult not to look at messages on social media when you were doing something else? (Preoccupation)
2. Regularly felt dissatisfied because you wanted to spend more time on social media? (Tolerance)
3. Regularly felt angry  or frustrated if you weren’t able to use social media?(Withdrawal)
4. Tried  to reduce your use of social media, but failed? (Persistence)
5. Regularly used social media to take your mind off your problems?(Escape)
6. Regularly not had enough sleep because you were using social media too late at night? (Problems)
7. Regularly lied to your parents or friends about the amount of time you spend on social media? (Deception)
8. Regularly had no interest in hobbies or other activities because you would rather use social media? (Displacement)
9. Had serious problems at school or work because you were spending too much time on social media? (Conflict)

Why is social media so addictive?

Variable reward system

Just like any other addiction, social media addiction is one that operates on a variable-reward system (Ricci, 2018). This system is defined as when someone will receive a reward or some kind of satisfaction when they do a certain action, however, they will not always receive that reward. Thus, they don’t always know when that good feeling will come next, so they keep repeating the action in hopes of experiencing that reward again. Think of it like gambling: once you win a little bit, you will keep trying to get that win again no matter how long it takes. 

The neuroscience of social media addiction

This variable-reward system is essential to social media’s addictive nature. In comparison to non-social media addicts, the reward system areas of the brain are more sensitive and more active in people with symptoms of this addiction (He, Turel, Brewers & Bechara, 2017). Essentially, these rewarding experiences on social media generate dopamine in our brains. Eventually, our brains become trained in wanting to check social media in order to experience this dopamine over and over again (Ricci, 2018).

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Negative consequences of social media addiction

Social media addiction is associated with low self-esteem

Risky amounts of social media are becoming increasingly associated with lower self-esteem. A study was conducted of 827 university students who were asked to complete a questionnaire including the Social Media Disorder Scale along with the Single Item Self-Esteem Scale (Kircaburun, Demetrovics & Tosuntaş, 2019). 18% of the participants were disordered social media users and had significantly lower levels of self-esteem than their less active counterparts. The study hypothesized this to be attributed to individuals compensating for real-life social relations and boredom through social media. They also noted that gathering “likes” may also be damaging to self-esteem as it is a form of seeking validation.

Social media addiction is associated with poor sleep hygiene

Those with addictions often engage with social media at unhealthy times. Of these unhealthy times, nocturnal use seems to be the most detrimental according to a study on problematic sleep due to social media (Tandon,  Kaur, Dhir & Mäntymäki, 2020). The study conducted cross-sectional surveys on full-time workers and students and found those with a compulsive need to check social media had more difficulty sleeping due to increased anxiety, recurrent thoughts, and excessive mental occupation. 

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Social media addiction is associated with loneliness

As a result of social media and more instantaneous forms of communication, studies have also found a correlation between heavy social media use and loneliness. To examine this phenomenon, researchers gathered 419 participants throughout the United States in groups of 14-17 yrs, 24-27 yrs, 34-37 yrs, and 44-47 years old (Barry & Wong, 2020). After monitoring each participant’s use of social media, they found feelings of loneliness and “fear of missing out” to be consistent across all ages and higher in those engaged in greater social media activity. In fact, feelings of isolation were experienced nearly 30% more frequently than feelings of mindfulness and self-kindness in individuals with heavy social media use (Barry & Wong, 2020). 

Social media addiction is associated with relationship problems

An unhealthy amount of social media engagement can cause relationship problems as well. Various studies have found a link between one’s use of social networking sites and relationship commitment. One study, in particular, questioned 427 adults between the ages of 18 to 32 years old (Lenne, Wittevronghel, Vandenbosch & Eggermont, 2019). Participants were conducted to complete a questionnaire asking them questions about their social media habits and their romantic relationships. Nearly 60% of both male and female participants reported feeling difficulties with commitment as a result of social media. Specifically, participants felt that exposure to potential alternative partners on social media negatively impacted relationship trust and commitment. The more frequently they used social media, the more they were exposed to these negative feelings. 

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Do you have a social media addiction?

Mental disabilities scholar Kristeen Cherney, Ph.D., outlines some crucial differences between simply enjoying social media, and having an addiction to it (Cherney & Legg, 2020). These  behaviors include:

• Negative work or school performance as a result of social media use 

• More social media use during activities where it is not necessitated (such as hanging out with friends, while eating)
• Reliance on social media to cope
• Irritability and anxiety when not using social media
• Going to social media first thing when given the opportunity (ie. checking phone first thing in the morning)

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A silver lining to social media addiction

While addictions are always negative, social media addiction is one of the easier addictions to fight. The same researchers that found more sensitive and active reward system areas of the brain in social media addicts also found that their brain’s self-control systems were still intact (He, Turel, Brewers & Bechara, 2017). This is not the case with many other addictions such as substance abuse, where deficits are typically found in these areas of self-control. 

If you are truly motivated to control your use of social media, it can be done! Breaking the pattern may be easier to do than you believe. Here are some ways to start:

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How to control your social media habit

A study was conducted to determine which strategies were the most effective for self-controlling social media use (Brevers & Turel, 2019). These strategies were put into 8 categories:

1. No strategy (little to no control): “Never had social media”
2. No strategy (little to no motivation): “I don’t want to control my use of social media”
3. Prevent access (partial): “I charge my phone 15 feet away from me”
4. Prevent access (full): “I leave my phone in another room”
5. Modify a feature on the device: “I turn off notifications”
6. Delimit a specific time of use: “No using social media when I am at dinner”
7. Self-Talk: “I remind myself that work is more important than social media”
8. Straightforward self-control: “I use self-control to ignore my phone”

Results showed that while straightforward self-control was the most effective method for staying off phones and social media, it was the hardest to implement and the least desirable to participants with very few actually utilizing it. Due to its difficulty, participants were more successful with other “easier” strategies. Modifying a feature on the device was the easiest and most popular strategy with effective results, followed by preventing access (partial), delimiting a specific time of use, and self-talk. Here are 4 ways you can implement these realistic strategies:

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4 Ways to overcome social media addiction

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1. Take away the convenience - Modify a feature on the device

Research also shows that constantly dinging notifications trigger our brain’s reward system (He, Turel, Brewers & Bechara, 2017). Seeing notifications on our screens makes them extremely hard to resist, which ultimately can lead us down another black hole of checking social media. Similarly, the convenience of our smartphones is a big part of what makes social media so appealing and addictive. The same researchers in support of turning off notifications also suggest only checking social media on your desktop or laptop as you are less likely to always have it on you (He, Turel, Brewers & Bechara, 2017). Aside from less convenience, social media sites often have limited desktop versions. Without certain features available to you, you will feel less of an urge to continuously be on the site. Other ways to take away the convenience through modifications include putting your phone on airplane mode or leaving it on “do not disturb”/mute. While these may seem like straightforward strategies, research has shown that they are the most practical and easy to begin with if you are serious about limiting your screen time. 

2. You don't need to give it up completely - Prevent partial access

Research shows that limiting social media use without completely getting rid of it still has many positive effects. In order to examine this relationship between social media and well-being, researchers gathered 143 undergraduate participants and instructed one group to limit their social media use to 10 minutes a day for 3 weeks (Hunt, Marx, Lipson & Young, 2018). The control group used social media as usual with no restrictions. Results showed large decreases in loneliness and depression for those in the limited social media group in comparison to the control. Likewise, the limited group also displayed a significant reduction in anxiety and fear of missing out, which the researchers attributed to a benefit of increased self-monitoring. In the end, the study suggests limiting social media use to 30 minutes per day in order to improve mental well-being. You can partially prevent access to your phone throughout the day by studying around others, putting your phone in your purse rather than in a pocket, charging your phone far away from you, or going to a library to use a computer. 

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3. Encourage good behaviors - Limit social media use to a specific time

Heavy social media use is becoming increasingly prevalent in children. Studies have shown that heavy social media use is much more detrimental for children as their brains are still developing (Ricci, 2018). Children can unintentionally overstimulate their reward center, therefore damaging their reward responsiveness. As a parent or not, encouraging good behavior will help train your brain away from maladaptive behaviors and coping mechanisms like social media. For example, setting rules such as “no phones at the dinner table” are easy ways to separate genuine connectivity time from online time. Moreover, taking up new hobbies that don’t revolve around technology- especially with a group- can help ease feelings of boredom and loneliness (Ricci, 2018). If your mind is busy, you won’t feel a need to go on your phone. Remember, set an example for both yourself and others. 

4. Be open about it - Self talk and acknowledge social media addiction

One of the most common phrases you hear surrounding addictions is admitting you have a problem. The same can be said for social media addiction as communicating about your problem can produce many positive results. Discussing why your behaviors are problematic is key in changing behaviors (Ricci, 2018). This is because communicating and explaining information gives most people the motivation to act and become better. Self-talk and reflection are powerful strategies for improving work productivity, but they also have benefits for those with addictions. Reminding yourself daily of your motivations and decisions is a great coping strategy limiting social media use (Brevers & Turel, 2019). Remind yourself that whatever activity you are doing is more important than social media. Focus on your goals and stay present. 

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Break bad habits and manage emotions with the LIFE Intelligence app

Often, we turn to social media to make us feel better, as an escape or "harmless" self-medication for fun and laughs. The problem is, we end up avoiding the things that are causing us that stress or anxiety. Social media becomes a band-aid to avoid facing the music of reality: whether that's a problem at work, with a significant other, or with ourselves. Instead, pick up a healthier habit in the LIFE Intelligence app.

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LIFE Intelligence is a comprehensive, science-backed app for self, career, and relationship development. Whether to manage stress and anxiety, improve work productivity, or build lasting relationships, LIFE is like a self help or self therapy app that provides coaching and relationship counseling exercises to empower you in every situation.

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Social media addiction is only one of the many negative behaviors you can break with the help of LIFE. LIFE's 9-step program encompasses mental health, self awareness, values and goals, time and regret management, decision-making, stress management, emotional intelligence, communication, conflict resolution, relationships, and leadership. Whether you're frustrated, anxious, bored, or envious, open the LIFE app. Inside, you'll find coping, communication, and problem-solving strategies to get to the bottom of your mood, and fix it for good. So, the next time you're tempted to cure a bad mood with social media, think again. There may be healthier apps you can reach for.