Why Are We Addicted to Social Media?

[Charles Franklin]

I recently read a book called "Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products" which discusses a simple model (some factors including variable rewards, triggers and reminders, etc.) for things, like social media, that we have become addicted to.

I wanted to get your opinion on this.

Why are we (and, in particular, you) addicted to social media? Could you stop using social media if you needed to? Why?

 

[IcyBC]

I am not addicted to social media networking sites at all, and I can live without it too. I just think it's over-popular because of all the businesses and celebrities using them. They are no longer just used for friends and family to keep in touch anymore, and for me, it lost the attraction. I don't see why I should follow any businesses or celebrities when I don't care about them.

 

[Sefie]

I used to be so addicted to Facebook, I couldn't imagine a life without it. Now I am free from that awful addiction, I was far from happy though... I was feeling so lonely and depressed. Too much time in those sites makes you feel that way because everyone there only share the good side of their life! That pushes you to do the same, it's like such a low bragging contest where there is never a winner.

 

[Charles Franklin]

I used to be so addicted to Facebook, I couldn't imagine a life without it. Now I am free from that awful addiction, I was far from happy though... I was feeling so lonely and depressed. Too much time in those sites makes you feel that way because everyone there only share the good side of their life! That pushes you to do the same, it's like such a low bragging contest where there is never a winner.

Actually, the book mentioned how addiction to social media is just like addiction to any other thing (alcohol, drugs, etc.) We experience a "high" when we use them. Ironically, he mentions that when we are addicted to social media, we use it to get rid of the discomfort, not to feel "better". In other words, a person who is addicted to Facebook doesn't check Facebook a dozen times because they necessarily like it. They do it because of the discomfort in not knowing what they're missing. The fact that we don't know what kind of content will be on our Facebook is what fuels the whole thing.

Only if we reach a point like you did where the reward isn't there, does a person break from Facebook.

 

[Krissttina Isobe]

Me, addicted, no! I like social media for we are social beings. We got phones and no one says we're addicted to phones, so why worry, enjoy the social media get the news, find friends, find relatives and more.

 

[CasualGoofy]

Other lurking around forums, I don't touch twitter/facebook/whatever there is right now. I especially hate being on facebook. Being on social media sites, just make me feel like I'm lacking a whole lot. And I'm not that interested in the many photos that flood the feed. If I want to look at some photo, I will go search it. Or I would hang around tumblr and pinterest.

 

[Krissttina Isobe]

I don't think I'm addicted to social media as much as it's a good place to relax for I got cat videos, games to do and business to discuss at facebook and twitter too. If you needed help with something you can go to twitter and get fastest results and help for a site or an exchange of merchandise. I do not want to quit social media at all, so no I couldn't live without them at all.

 

[UpgradeMe]

I wouldn't say that I am addicted to social media anymore than I am addicted to using the Internet for things that I like to do. It isn't like I go into withdrawal if I don't use Facebook, so I don't put much stock into it being so much addictive as people being irresponsible with their time.

 

[spence88]

Well, for me it's more of a necessity than an addiction. Could I stop using social media if I needed to and why? It's a necessity, but I can definitely live for a while without social media. It will not make me crazy or anything. There are so much more to do in this world than social media. lol. Sorry if my answer is so blunt. But yeah, for me, social media just makes information dissemination and communication easier. It's not reasonable to be addicted to that.

 

[Corzhens]

Based on what I see with my friends in social media, they are using social media like a companion. Especially for those friends who are working abroad and far from their families, social media is very important for it serves as their link not only to their families but to the world. I am not much with social media but I visit my account every day to check on the messages and also the posts of my friends. But unlike others who are enslaved by social media, I'm a conservative and moderate user only.

 

[jamesbonner]

well for me I became addicted to social medias (facebook especially) because I can find all my friends there and talk to them any time (even the far friends), also I can find all the news about everything I'm in, that's the only thing for me !

 

[Edwinrai]

Personally, I find a site like Facebook, a great way to stay in touch with my friends and family that are scattered all around the world. With one post I can inform every one of them what's been going on in my life and vice-versa.

 

[vinaya]

Human beings are social animals and they have predilections to communicate. Communication is the basic thing that separates animals from Human beings. Animals have limited ways to communicate, where as human beings can communicate in various ways. Social media is a communication platform. People use social media to do social interaction.m

 

[obliviousme]

I'm not exactly addicted, i do social media very often but i can safely say i can live without it. It's very addicting to some because it somehow takes away your loneliness even if you're online conversations are pointless and superficial, still it distracts you and makes you feel like you're not alone.

 

[Novelangel]

I'm nowhere near as addicted as I once was. In fact, it has currently been days since I even logged into Facebook. I used to log in at least once a day, check birthdays and status reports, share cute pictures of cats, etc. Now I feel like I'm free of all that nonsense and I rarely feel the need to post anything in there anyway. Since Fb was pretty much the only site I was currently sharing on, I have essentially gagged myself and I have no problem with that right now. I can't say there won't come a time when I will want to get involved in that sort of thing again, but until then, life is fine without it.

 

[1313dw]

Actually, the book mentioned how addiction to social media is just like addiction to any other thing (alcohol, drugs, etc.) We experience a "high" when we use them. Ironically, he mentions that when we are addicted to social media, we use it to get rid of the discomfort, not to feel "better". In other words, a person who is addicted to Facebook doesn't check Facebook a dozen times because they necessarily like it. They do it because of the discomfort in not knowing what they're missing. The fact that we don't know what kind of content will be on our Facebook is what fuels the whole thing.

Only if we reach a point like you did where the reward isn't there, does a person break from Facebook.

I agree with the reasoning behind the "addiction" to social media. The curiosity of what someone is missing can be enormous and consuming. Having withdrawal symptoms goes along with this whether those symptoms are physical or psychological. They are very real to the person experiencing them.

I can't say that I'm addicted to social media. I will say that I have gone through periods where I have been more active on social media than others and I start becoming more concerned with checking on a regular basis. As soon as I realize this I back away but it's not that easy for others. Does anyone have suggestions on how to approach and help a person who is going through a social media addiction?

 

[artyarson]

I guess it's because a huge part of our daily routine. We can't just separate it from our life. It's kind of too late. However, I don't see it as a bad thing. Just don't stuck there so much and it would be fine.

 

[filmjunkie08]

I used to be into Facebook much more than I am now. When I was active on FB, I spent hours on it daily. It was a way to keep up with old high school friends that I had not seen in ages. Now, I only spend time on FB twice a week. I am concerned about my son, though. He spends hours on You Tube.

 

[Krnasmommy]

I'm definitely addicted to social media. Social media is how I communicate with my family members that I can't drive across town to see or friends from different states. It's also how I stay in tune with things going on in our country.

 

[amonda]

Personally I wouldn't consider myself to be addicted to social media, but my absolute favorite thing to do is go through my Instagram feed. Just to see what others are up to really.