New on social media addiction
Last reviewed: 07.06.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
To date, a lot of research has been devoted to the so-called digital detoxification. Many social media users have already tried this method on themselves. This kind of detoxification involves a temporary withdrawal from all available online platforms, news sites, and in general from electronic media, messengers. First of all, it is important to give up social networks, because there usually not just socialize, but at the same time to track the latest news, learn the necessary information of interest on almost any topic.
Detoxification in this situation is a conditional term, as the Internet does not carry any toxins. It's about the specific negative impact of being addicted to Internet sites.
In fact, such dependence does exist, and this is a scientifically confirmed fact. And nowadays scientists continue to actively study this problem.
Is it possible to independently determine whether a person is addicted? To do this, it is necessary to trace whether discomfort is felt against the background of the inability to visit a favorite Internet page. However, practice shows that prolonged abstinence from social networks still leads to indifference to them.
Specialists representing Durham University conducted a small experiment in which they asked 50 students not to visit social networks for a week. At the same time, all participants retained access to online platforms: the bet was made on honesty and patience, although the scientists monitored the behavior of students. In addition, each student underwent a psychological test to determine his or her psycho-emotional state.
Interestingly, after 7 days, the participants did not express any desire to visit their favorite social network, although complete indifference was not observed either. Some of the students sometimes still looked at this or that platform, but the time spent on it was noticeably shorter than before the experiment - a few minutes versus a few hours.
Scientists note that addiction to social networks cannot be considered as such, for example, to alcohol or smoking. The subsequent return of the experiment participants to social media spaces indicates, first of all, that such platforms are used not only for correspondence and entertainment, but also for building personal relationships, searching for necessary information, business meetings and so on.
In addition to possible addiction, other phenomena associated with frequent use of social networks are also known. In particular, it can be depression, irritability, apathy, etc. However, it is still unknown whether depression is a consequence or a cause of visiting online platforms.
The full article can be accessed on the page of PLOS ONE