There is still much debate about whether social media is addictive or not.  After watching the Netflix documentary entitled The Social Dilemma I have definitely refined my professional opinion about that.  Read on for my review and thoughts on this serious situation.

Social Media Addiction is Real

I’m making no bones about this.  In a recent podcast interview last month I talked about how one of my ways of defining an addiction is ‘any relationship that has life-damaging consequences.’  When applied to the phenomenon of social media, this can vary from person to person, but based on the information and vignettes that are shared in The Social Dilemma it’s hard to come to any other conclusion.  So many people spend so much time on social media these days, and that fact alone is enough to drive home the point that it takes too much of our time that is better spent on more important things.  If you can’t answer the question of what is more important than social media, then you’ve settled the debate about whether it is addictive or not. 

How is Social Media Addictive?

It operates much the same way that online porn addiction works.  A reward system is set up via responses to social media posts via likes and such.  If someone gets likes for their posts, then it is reinforcing.  This was well-depicted in the documentary with the teenage daughter who got likes for her posts and then kept making posts to get more likes.  The problem with this is that it is a very precarious situation, because the problem of online bullying or negative comments can crush a child or teen’s developing sense of self-esteem and can happen just as fast as getting likes.  It was also mentioned in the documentary how teen girls’ suicide rates have skyrocketed in the years since social media emerged on the scene.  There you have some obvious life-damaging consequences:  nothing is worse than death.  

How Social Media Addiction Affects Relationships

It clearly puts a strain on family relationships.  As the documentary depicted the enormous strife between the mother and her daughter when the daughter’s cell phone was taken away.  It can also drive a wedge in between spouses, as time that might otherwise be spent meaningfully connecting and communicating is lost to addictive social media viewing.  It even puts a strain on one’s own ability to experience time alone as solitude.  One part of the documentary when the son had given up cell phone use for a time became very lonely at one point with him obviously dealing with a great amount of boredom because of not having his cell phone to look at.  

What To Do About Social Media Addiction

There were some good suggestions coming from some of the technology people interviewed in the documentary, including deleting all social media apps from your cell phone that you don’t need to physically have access to at all times.  Another good suggestion involved not allowing children and young adolescents to have social media accounts and/or cell phones to use to prevent them from being damaged, perhaps irreparably, from early social media use.  Another good idea is to keep cell phones out of the bedroom at night to keep you from being stimulated by them when you need to rest and sleep.  These are simple and seemingly simplistic suggestions, but they can be very hard to put into effect.  Give yourself credit for progress in limiting or eliminating social media use.  I have noticed my own life has become simpler since deleting social media apps from my own cell phone, and you can too!

What To Do If You Need Help With Social Media Addiction

I’ve helped many clients to overcome their addictive and compulsive issues around various addiction issues.  Many men who have addiction issues with online porn also fall prey to social media addiction due to the sexual content in numerous social media apps.  I use several approaches that tend to complement each other in helping people overcome their addiction issues, and would be happy to discuss these with you in a free 45-minute consultation.  Just call the number at the top of the page or fill out the inquiry form below and I will be happy to schedule something with you if you think you also have a problem with compulsive sexual behavior.  If not, I also offer 20-minute phone consults for other addiction issues, including social media addiction.  You owe it to yourself and those who care about you to do something about this new and insidious problem so many people around the world are now struggling with!  

Visit our specialty page on sex addiction therapy to learn more about how Scott can help you with compulsive sexual behavior.   

About the author:  Scott Kampschaefer, LCSW is a private practice therapist in Frederick, Maryland.  He has an extensive background in working with depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder at a clinic for older adults with these disorders in Austin.  He now works with adults and adolescents 14 and up in private practice. His new book is entitled The 5 Pillars of Addiction Recovery and is available for purchase on Amazon and in paperback on this website.