Are You Addicted to Social Media?
It’s 2017. You and just about every person that you know has Facebook. About half the people you know have Instagram, and about 20 percent of the people you know have Twitter. Social media has been the number one source of communication worldwide for years. Being able to talk to someone on the other side of the world instantly is truly an incredible asset to our society, however, as with most things, it can be addicting. Here are 5 signs you are addicted to social media.
- Missing out on conversations with people around you. Whether it’s a family gathering, dinner with friends, or during an important business meeting, if you find yourself escaping reality for a short amount of time, using Facebook or other social media sites to do it, you might be addicted to social media.
- Staying up too late. Do you stay up way past your intended bed time to scroll through your news feed? This can be sign of social media addiction as well.
- Using social media while driving. If you use your cell phone to scroll on social media while you are driving, there may be a problem. You may be addicted to social media.
- You post just to get “likes”. People who may be addicted to social media are obsessed with the amount of likes their posts accumulate. They post for attention, whether it be good or bad. They view attention as social standing, and thrive on it.
- The need to check your phone. If you feel compelled to check your phone and notifications constantly, there can be an addiction.
With all the new forms of social media being created every day, and people being connected more, it’s no surprise that people can develop an addiction to it. It can cause unmanageability in the work place, and at home. The obsession can cause someone to miss out on everyday occurrences and interactions with those around them. It can cause you to miss an important detail at work, and make you lose focus. It can cost you money!
Living for likes, and the disengagement of personal interaction is a very real problem. To combat this, start slow.. commit to turn your phone off for certain periods of time throughout the day. Leave your phone in another room at dinner, or leave it in your desk at work. Instead of saying hello to someone over the internet, call that person and make plans to meet up and go for lunch.
Social media addiction is creating a generation of isolated people. Break the cycle! Commit to your friendships and personal interactions. Before you know it, you’ll move away from social media and find yourself in fulfilling relationships.
Visit The Addictions Coach or call 1.800.706.0318 to speak with a member of our elite team.
