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Can Social Media Be Addictive?

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Numerous people accept the fact that drugs and alcohol are addicting. However, do they accept that social media is just as, if not more addictive? In fact, what even is an addiction? And, can social media even be addictive? The definition of an addiction, as in the Merriam Webster dictionary is: compulsive need for use of a habit-forming element (such as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal (Addiction, 2017). Is social media an addiction? According to this definition, yes. Social media is classified as a psychological addiction, rather than a substance addiction. The first part, compulsive need of a habit-forming element, completely relates to social media. Nir Eyal, …show more content…

Why is this? Well, when users feel lonely, they go onto social media in order to feel less lonely. They watch interactions take place with people all over the world who seem to be connecting, and in turn, feel lonely themselves. Many people will agree that social media contributes to FOMO. FOMO is the fear of missing out (which was recently added to the Oxford dictionary, due to the millions of people who suffer from it . . . thanks social media!) Social media users see what people around them are doing, and experience and feel like they do not have as exciting of a life, or they are not successful—they feel like they are missing out. FOMO is particularly prevalent in youth ages 14-24 (Wallop, 2017). This type of toxic thinking is threatening social media users worldwide. The diseased idea goes both ways. Lonely people turn to social media in order to feel more connected, and social media reaches out to people who are not lonely, and infects them with the contagious disease of addiction. Moreover, finally, the most obvious answer, the more time people spend on social media, the less time they have for actual social interactions. Users who complain about feeling lonely on social media are on social media at that very moment! Not going out and putting themselves in better environments. …show more content…

Though preposterous sounding, the argument is sound. Recent natural disasters have left cities uneducated and separated from the news; social media is the only way to stay connected. People are posting about what is happening, while it is happening. Miles away, people do not have to wait for the five o’clock news to receive information—it is all right in front of them. In addition, social media has created a platform for people to donate money to areas in turmoil. People do not just donate money to areas in crisis on social media; they can also donate to organizations. A popular Kenyan blogger created the hash tag #1MilliForJadudi to raise money for Emmanuel Jadidi, who has a deadly brain tumor and could not afford the flight to get treatment. Over $60,000 was raised in less than fifty hours, and flew him to India to receive treatment. Without people who are constantly on social media, Jadudi would not be alive

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In his article, Ludden argues that whether or not social media affects your loneliness depends on what you do with it. He examines studies that present that those who use social media to connect with friends who are farther from them experience more loneliness than those who use it to connect with friends who are closer to them. He also claims that the use of social media to examine other people’s activities and lives without participating can increase loneliness and socially awkwardness in the real world, especially when this is being done to compare one's own life to others. Overall, the key to his argument is that the effect of social media on one’s loneliness depends on their social skills and what they are using it for. One of the first rhetorical appeals brought out in Ludden’s article is the appeal to pathos.

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“Seduced by social media: is Facebook making you lonely” by Margie Warrell is an article that talks about the negative impact of social media on our lives. The writer discusses the addicting of using social media and how we are seduced by social media. However, I agree with the writer that Facebook is making us lonely. In the beginning of the article, the writer explains what the meaning of being seduced by social media is.

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463 Words | 2 Pages

The constant connectivity to social platforms promotes an environment where individuals feel compelled to constantly seek validation, often measuring their self-worth based on likes, comments, and shares(social currency).Always trying to get people to like you on social media can make you see yourself in a bad way, feeling like you're not good enough and not worth much. Also, because you can be anonymous and get on social media easily, it's a place where bullying happens a lot. People can pick on others, make fun of them, and be mean. All this adds up and can make people feel really bad, messing with their mental health as they try to deal with all the stuff happening

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The extent of this issue is immense, resulting in depression and internet addictions. According to “Pros and Cons of Social Media” the author summarizes that users have developed an addiction and has reported that “...brain imaging studies of compulsive internet users that have shown structural and functional brain abnormalities similar to those found in people with substance abuse problems.” Apps like Instagram and Snapchat have gained popularity to an extent that users need to constantly be on their devices. This is not the only example of how social media has negatively impacted users. The large amount of time that users are spending on social media has shown the same results person after person, anxiety and depression (Silvers).

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Picking out the emphasis of the study and reporting on the possibility of a causation relationship gives a misleading premise to the otherwise well summarized article, priming the reader to interpret the correlation as perhaps more explanatory than it actually is. The choice to emphasize quotes from Primack about exercising caution and self-monitoring use are likely to give a bit of sensational tone to the findings, and to cause concern. Despite this nudge to take the results as a place for advice, Rapaport does do a particularly good job at pointing out that nothing has been proved and that other explanations should be considered. Although she briefly quotes Dr. Shakya on saying that there are shown to be some positive correlations between social media use and close relationships, she seems to emphasize more so that there are other reasons that lonely people would be using social media. Rapaport’s article does not fall into the mistake of over-attributing causation and proof to the study, but it does omit the numbers of the actual findings in such a way that can mislead readers.

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In the article “Is Facebook Making Us Lonely?” author Stephen Marche thesis is “Social media—from Facebook to Twitter—have made us more densely networked than ever. Yet for all this connectivity, new research suggest that we have never been lonelier (or more narcissistic)—and that this loneliness is making us mentally and physically ill. A report on what the epidemic of loneliness is doing to our souls and our society.” Marche goes into tons of detail on everything included on this thesis, in the passage.

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In the article “Social Media: The Screen, the Brain, and Human Nature” written by Justin Vinh argues that social media creates an atmosphere of loneliness and depression linked to social media use. He believes that this deteriorates the mental health of teenagers, who, as a result, have become isolated. Although some might say that social media connects people more, however, Vinh claims that technology has caused us to become more disconnected. Justin makes a great point when he states, “social media welcomes its users to compare themselves to their peers, and it compels them to try to outdo their opponents” (Vinh 4). The statement he makes is valid because social media became competitive.

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Summary of “Is Facebook Making us Lonely?” Stephen Marche explores the effects of Facebook on social behaviors in his article “Is Facebook Making Us Lonely?” Marche explores opposing viewpoints using several researchers to explore the topic. One viewpoint is Facebook does promote loneliness among its users. Marche uses examples of people who have isolated themselves and have little social interaction outside of social media.

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400 Words | 2 Pages

The author explains, in her article, that she believes social media is the reason many people feel lonely, instead of feeling connected to others. Turkle begins her article by explaining

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1948 Words | 8 Pages

However despite being constantly connected, people are still feeling alone so why? With the ability to be able to keep in touch with everyone why are people lonelier than ever? The issue with social media is that people only share the good things in their life and never the bad making people judge themselves based off of other people’s so called “perfect” lives, it also makes others try to keep up with the same standard as their friends making them want to post only the good things in their life which can also make people viewing their profile not truly connect with that person as they don’t see the person’s ‘true life’ but only the good moments.

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1424 Words | 6 Pages

Instagram provides a medium for young adults to escape from their loneliness, or lack of social connection, through browsing and broadcasting. Young adults are attracted to the realm of Instagram and endless browsing that they disconnect from the community around them and delve into an alternate reality, this is evident in a journal article about how young adults are “motivated to pursue relaxation, avoid the troubles they encounter in reality, and peek at others’ photographs” (Lee et al., 559). In a journal article, Yang concludes that Instagram broadcasting leads to an increased loneliness, even though broadcasting is an interactive element of Instagram (706). This further elaborates that broadcasting does not create meaningful relationships with others and that young adults are still disconnected from society, which leads them to pursue virtual relationships through Instagram. This is a cycle that leads into more loneliness and it reinforces more browsing and broadcasting.

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863 Words | 4 Pages

People whom are on Social Media are twice as likely to feel isolated. As the internet has grown people are seeing it in different light. The name “Social Media” was give as these sites were to bring people together and make them more included in today’s society. Experts on the topic say that in certain areas it’s quite helpful, while others argue how it’s keeping the younger generation away from face to face socializing and making them far more isolated. People feel more inclined to share opinions about SM because of its high impact on today’s online age.

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817 Words | 4 Pages

Social networking addiction are growing among teenagers. They are spending more time on social media rather than communicate with others in their daily life. If uncontrolled by parents, young peoples can get addicted to social network. C. Someone who stressed and depressed will easily cause social networking addiction, consequently it may leads to many problems which is wasting time and social isolation. II.

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982 Words | 4 Pages

Some people feel lonely even when they are in a surrounded by people or if they are in a crowded place. To feel lonely is to have an overwhelming feeling of being separate from those around you. It is a normal emotion and often a part of growing up, as things like moving out of home, going to a new school or any other changes can make us feel isolated (Merriam-Webster, 1831). However, I believe that excessive us of social networking is a main reason for being lonely due to less personal interactions. It is scary how people

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832 Words | 4 Pages

Thus, social media just offer limited meeting. Psychologist, Aric Sigman says, “The use of social networking sites as opposed to face-to-face interaction could lead to major health problems.” He also claimed in the British Journal: The Biologist, “Spending too much time online could lead to social isolation, loneliness a negative outlook. These types of psychological symptoms could eventually lead to more serious health concerns, such as heart disease, cancer and

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