FACEBOOK ADDICTION
Certain human behaviors, habits, and obsessions have been classified as addictions by psychological and medical organizations.
In recent years the mental health community has become increasingly interested in the impact that modern technology has on our lives - both positive and negative.
On the positive side, technologies such as Skype, Facetime, and Facebook allow us to stay in contact with family and friends on the other side of the planet. Video conferencing may allow us to occasionally work from home. Having a Smartphone with GPS capabilities means that we will never get lost (or have to ask for directions) again!
Yet, whenever we are introduced to a new form of entertainment there is the potential for unhealthy use, overuse, or abuse. Look no further than alcohol or gambling for examples of activities that are relatively harmless in moderation but which can cause serious problems when one is addicted. Even healthy activities such as exercise can cause significant health problems if it becomes an obsession (for example, compulsively running six hours per day on a treadmill).
Regarding the potential for some people to become "hooked" on technology, internet addiction and video game addition have received the most study from researchers and clinicians. However, social media sites like Facebook have also caught their attention.
Is Facebook an addiction?
The simple answer? No.
Facebook overuse / obsession / preoccupation is not considered to be an addiction.
Facebook addiction has not been classified as a disorder by any psychological or medical organization. The inclusion of new disorders (such as a proposal for "Facebook Addiction Disorder") in diagnostic classification systems requires years (if not decades) of research.
Although psychologists and psychiatrists are often criticized as being overly eager to pathologize human behaviors, with regard to "legitimizing" new disorders, they generally take a very slow and conservative approach - and only officially recognize new pathologies / disorders after years of clinical and empirical research.
It is very likely that you know people who absolutely must check their Facebook account when they first wake up, obsessively check it throughout the day, and never fail to log in just one last time before going to sleep for the night.
Perhaps they spend hours upon hours every day updating their status, uploading pictures, commenting on walls, playing Facebook games, reading updates from others, and searching for new friends to add. Maybe they often neglect other important responsibilities, commitments, or people in favor of Facebook. Perhaps their real-world relationships, careers, or schoolwork suffer due to too much time on Facebook.
It turns out that as many as one in every three people who use social media like Facebook experience feelings of jealousy and envy after spending time on these sites, according to a new study.
With the growing use of social media as the norm for how we communicate, there is increasing evidence and suggestion that there may be a correlation between how often one uses social media and a linkage to mental health issues. The fact that a significant percentage of people check Facebook even before they get out of bed is an indication of the social anxieties and pressures that have been created by this new medium.
The study revealed that significant emotional damage was experienced by users who were looking at positive posts and posts of Facebook friends who were smiling and looking happy. In some respects, Facebook has become the place for people to flaunt their successes. When was the last time you saw anyone post something bad or embarrassing that happened to them?
In fact, researchers have found vacation photos caused the highest level of resentment among Facebook users who reported to experience a high amount of envy. In a world already flooded with social pressures where teenagers and young adults are attempting to find their true identity and not be judged, Facebook has created a new standard of social acceptance. Social interaction has been rated as the second most common cause of envy especially when users compare how many likes or comments were made on their photos and postings.
For individuals in their mid-30s and 40s Facebook envy was most often experienced by women looking at postings or photographs related to family happiness or physical attractiveness. If anybody watched the "The Social Network," it is clear the underlying contention by which Facebook was created – a means for rating girls at Harvard – still remains a strong current for social mediums. If we step back for a moment, one has to ask themselves when the norm for social acceptance was based on quantity versus quality.
The recent German study is not the first to study the social effects of Facebook. In fact, a study published in December 2012 found the more time college students spent on Facebook, the worse they felt about their own lives Some may argue that Facebook is efficient in disbursing virtual empathy since people feel good when a lot of people wish them on their birthday. The reality of course, is that the numbers game of “likes” is creating a compulsion or addiction.
The reality is that Facebook is not going anywhere anytime soon, and we as a race expect instant gratification in everything that we do including Facebook. The impact of anxiety and mental health issues in the American population and even worldwide are mounting, and one cannot underestimate the impact of social media in exacerbating circumstances that lead to anxiety and depression.
A few good questions for people to ask themselves about whether they are addictive to Facebook or not include:
1. Have you tried to shut off your Facebook account and went right back to it?
2. Do you find yourself less productive in your work or studies?
3. Do you use Facebook as an escape for relaxation and pleasure?
4. Do you find yourself constantly checking how many people like your posts?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes..you might have a Facebook compulsion or addiction.
HOW TO DEFEAT A FACEBOOK ADDICTION?
1.Recognize the signs of a Facebook addiction.
2.Start questioning what youre doing on Facebook.
3.Decide what is of value on Facebook.
4.Try giving up Facebook for a specific event to see how you fare.
5.Target solutions to enable smarter, brighter usage of Facebook in the future.
6.Be careful of the race to have as many friends as possible.
7.Avoid being a Facebook automaton
Certain human behaviors, habits, and obsessions have been classified as addictions by psychological and medical organizations.
In recent years the mental health community has become increasingly interested in the impact that modern technology has on our lives - both positive and negative.
On the positive side, technologies such as Skype, Facetime, and Facebook allow us to stay in contact with family and friends on the other side of the planet. Video conferencing may allow us to occasionally work from home. Having a Smartphone with GPS capabilities means that we will never get lost (or have to ask for directions) again!
Yet, whenever we are introduced to a new form of entertainment there is the potential for unhealthy use, overuse, or abuse. Look no further than alcohol or gambling for examples of activities that are relatively harmless in moderation but which can cause serious problems when one is addicted. Even healthy activities such as exercise can cause significant health problems if it becomes an obsession (for example, compulsively running six hours per day on a treadmill).
Regarding the potential for some people to become "hooked" on technology, internet addiction and video game addition have received the most study from researchers and clinicians. However, social media sites like Facebook have also caught their attention.
The simple answer? No.
Facebook overuse / obsession / preoccupation is not considered to be an addiction.
Facebook addiction has not been classified as a disorder by any psychological or medical organization. The inclusion of new disorders (such as a proposal for "Facebook Addiction Disorder") in diagnostic classification systems requires years (if not decades) of research.
Although psychologists and psychiatrists are often criticized as being overly eager to pathologize human behaviors, with regard to "legitimizing" new disorders, they generally take a very slow and conservative approach - and only officially recognize new pathologies / disorders after years of clinical and empirical research.
It is very likely that you know people who absolutely must check their Facebook account when they first wake up, obsessively check it throughout the day, and never fail to log in just one last time before going to sleep for the night.
Perhaps they spend hours upon hours every day updating their status, uploading pictures, commenting on walls, playing Facebook games, reading updates from others, and searching for new friends to add. Maybe they often neglect other important responsibilities, commitments, or people in favor of Facebook. Perhaps their real-world relationships, careers, or schoolwork suffer due to too much time on Facebook.
It turns out that as many as one in every three people who use social media like Facebook experience feelings of jealousy and envy after spending time on these sites, according to a new study.
With the growing use of social media as the norm for how we communicate, there is increasing evidence and suggestion that there may be a correlation between how often one uses social media and a linkage to mental health issues. The fact that a significant percentage of people check Facebook even before they get out of bed is an indication of the social anxieties and pressures that have been created by this new medium.
The study revealed that significant emotional damage was experienced by users who were looking at positive posts and posts of Facebook friends who were smiling and looking happy. In some respects, Facebook has become the place for people to flaunt their successes. When was the last time you saw anyone post something bad or embarrassing that happened to them?
In fact, researchers have found vacation photos caused the highest level of resentment among Facebook users who reported to experience a high amount of envy. In a world already flooded with social pressures where teenagers and young adults are attempting to find their true identity and not be judged, Facebook has created a new standard of social acceptance. Social interaction has been rated as the second most common cause of envy especially when users compare how many likes or comments were made on their photos and postings.
For individuals in their mid-30s and 40s Facebook envy was most often experienced by women looking at postings or photographs related to family happiness or physical attractiveness. If anybody watched the "The Social Network," it is clear the underlying contention by which Facebook was created – a means for rating girls at Harvard – still remains a strong current for social mediums. If we step back for a moment, one has to ask themselves when the norm for social acceptance was based on quantity versus quality.
The recent German study is not the first to study the social effects of Facebook. In fact, a study published in December 2012 found the more time college students spent on Facebook, the worse they felt about their own lives Some may argue that Facebook is efficient in disbursing virtual empathy since people feel good when a lot of people wish them on their birthday. The reality of course, is that the numbers game of “likes” is creating a compulsion or addiction.
Facebook is an addiction when one finds constant pleasure from the experience. Facebook is a compulsion if it creates an anxiety when one is not online. It would be interesting to evaluate through a functional MRI if there are new parts of the brain that light up as we get more likes and acceptance on Facebook and whether they are the same areas that light up when we satisfy our craving for food, sex or drugs.
The reality is that Facebook is not going anywhere anytime soon, and we as a race expect instant gratification in everything that we do including Facebook. The impact of anxiety and mental health issues in the American population and even worldwide are mounting, and one cannot underestimate the impact of social media in exacerbating circumstances that lead to anxiety and depression.
A few good questions for people to ask themselves about whether they are addictive to Facebook or not include:
1. Have you tried to shut off your Facebook account and went right back to it?
2. Do you find yourself less productive in your work or studies?
3. Do you use Facebook as an escape for relaxation and pleasure?
4. Do you find yourself constantly checking how many people like your posts?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes..you might have a Facebook compulsion or addiction.
HOW TO DEFEAT A FACEBOOK ADDICTION?
1.Recognize the signs of a Facebook addiction.
2.Start questioning what youre doing on Facebook.
3.Decide what is of value on Facebook.
4.Try giving up Facebook for a specific event to see how you fare.
5.Target solutions to enable smarter, brighter usage of Facebook in the future.
6.Be careful of the race to have as many friends as possible.
7.Avoid being a Facebook automaton