Social Media Has Similar Effects of Drug Use?
Last week, we talked about Nomophobia – a loosely-coined fear of losing one’s cell phone. Social media is a beast all its own, but one that’s certainly connected to our affinity for the smart phone…
Facebook has one billion users. Twitter has 500 million. Youtube has four billion views a day. You can see why researchers have been working to explain why people are obsessed with interacting with one another via social media.
According to Mashable, Harvard University research discovered that “self-disclosure spurs the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with rewarding feelings. The same study cites research that found 80% of social media posts are self-reflective, compared to 30-40% of speech during verbal conversation.”
Dopamine is the brain’s neurotransmitter that also sparks the sensation of pleasure during cocaine, heroin and meth use.
This infograph shows some of the findings regarding the “addictive nature of social media usage.”
- The average Facebook user spends 405 minutes per month on the site – equal to 81 hours a year!
- In a study of people ages 18-85, social media sites presented overall stronger urges than things like sex, sleep and smoking.
- 56% say they wouldn’t take a job that didn’t allow access to social media.
With further research, social media addiction may one day make it into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
How often do you use social media during a given week?
Unsure where to start? Take Our Substance Abuse Self-Assessment
“Take our free, 5-minute substance abuse self-assessment below if you think you or someone you love might be struggling with substance abuse. This evaluation consists of 11 yes or no questions that are designed to be used as an informational tool to assess the severity and probability of a substance use disorder. The test is free, confidential, and no personal information is needed to receive the result. Please be aware that this evaluation is not a substitute for advice from a medical doctor.”
American Addiction Centers (AAC) is committed to delivering original, truthful, accurate, unbiased, and medically current information. We strive to create content that is clear, concise, and easy to understand.
While we are unable to respond to your feedback directly, we'll use this information to improve our online help.