Social Media Addiction

What is social media addiction?

Social media addiction is a form of self-inflicted abuse. Social media addiction is a behavioural addiction characterized by an excessive preoccupation with social media and investing so much time and effort in social media activities that it interferes with other vital aspects of life.

Social media addiction refers to an obsession with social media that is constant and compulsive. At its core, social media satisfies our innate need to be liked and accepted.

Whilst social media addiction may seem less harmful than drug or gambling addiction, it is not. As with any other addiction, social media addiction can result in short-term or long-term mental health challenges.

Overall, 40% of online users in the United States aged 18 to 22 reported being addicted to social media (Statista 2019).

Addiction is classified as a disease; it indicates that you are unable to stop engaging in an activity, even though doing so is harmful to you and your health. To overcome an addiction, you may require assistance from your doctor, family, friends, or a formal treatment program.

God’s thoughts on social media addiction

We are living in a time of changing social priorities and values. The impact of technology has had its many advantages, but unfortunately, it also has created a number of challenges. Social interaction and the skills required for effective communication are some of these challenges.

God has created us as social beings and family and communities are part of what makes us feel wholesome and connected in our daily living. Psalm 68, verses 5 to 6 reflects God’s heart on the importance of families and communities.

These verses say that God is, a Father to the fatherless, and a defender of widows and that he settles in the lonely in families.’ Depression and loneliness are on the increase and they are becoming a global mental health challenge.

Social media platforms create an artificial counterfeit of God’s original plan for healthy social interactions and balance in our lives.

Hebrews 10, verse 25 tells us ‘not to neglect meeting together – we are not wired to live in isolation and social media platforms cannot replicate God’s original plan for healthy social interactions.

What are the signs of social media addiction?

The following are signs of social media addiction.

Constantly checking your mobile every few minutes.
Anxious behaviour when there is no internet access.
Feeling compelled to log on many times per day.
Constantly checking for updates and responses to your comments.
Spending a lot of time over planning social media activities.
Ignoring and neglecting creative hobbies to scroll on social media.
Compulsive posting on a lot of social media platforms.
Portraying a false image of oneself on social media platforms.
Allowing social media to determine your sense of fulfillment, self-worth, and self-esteem.
Feeling stressed due to low social media response to your comments or postings.
Struggling to get noticed on social media.
Secretly spending work hours on social media.
Excessively following activities of friends, family members, or celebrities.
Involvement in risky or improper activities that may damage your reputation, just to gain followers or get noticed.

What are the Impacts of social media addiction?

The following are examples of the impacts of social media addiction.

Addiction to social media creates stress, anxiety, and depression.
Academic performance may decline due to distractions from excessive use of social media.
Addiction to social media negatively impacts interpersonal connections.
Addiction to social media sites can lead to mental health challenges.
Addiction can lead to individuals becoming anti-social.
It can hinder the development of social skills and create social imbalances.
Alterations in socialization can lead to intolerance of people and social withdrawal.
Promotes self-consciousness and may contribute to the development of social anxiety disorder.

In conclusion, do not ignore the signs and impacts of abuses in your life. Doing so limits God’s best for you and your life aspirations. Find ways to start your healing process. Whilst not speaking to experts may not be readily available to you, however, you can begin to take steps towards effective self-healing Christian options like meditation, prayers, scripture declaration immersion, identity in Christ refocusing and retreats.

As part of recovery from abuse, it is important you take regular time out to rest from life’s hustle and bustle. A good way to do that is going to Christian retreat centres where you can shut down from the outside world and spend time with God for healing and restoration on a mental, emotional and physical level. Time away should also include prayer retreats, for situations where you need to connect with God on a key life issue.

Remember, life is not a rehearsal. God always wants you to choose freedom in Jesus Christ. To be free, you have to decide to be 100% responsible for the change you want to see in your life, even though you may be 100% blameless for the life challenges you find yourself facing. As such, be ready for change. As the solution to overcoming life challenges will usually involve a combination of spiritual insights and practical professional skills, on things God will show you to do to surge ahead. As always, remain blessed with divine health and wellbeing.

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