ing Craze
The Social Networking Craze: How Teens and Adults are Addicted to Their Online Personas
It seems like everyone these days is talking about social networking. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, or Instagram, it seems like everyone is connected to some sort of social media platform. Even older adults and baby boomers are getting in on the action, as the percentage of seniors using social media has nearly doubled in the past decade.
But what is it about these platforms that have us so addicted? And why are teenagers seemingly more obsessed with social media than ever before?
The answer lies in part with the way these platforms are designed. Social media platforms are specifically engineered to be addictive. They use a variety of techniques to keep users coming back for more, including notifications, likes, and positive reinforcement.
These techniques are similar to those used by casinos and other businesses that rely on addiction for their profits. In fact, some experts have even referred to social media as “digital heroin” because of the way it can hijack our brains and make us feel good.
But it’s not just the design of these platforms that’s addictive; it’s also the way we use them. We use social media to stay connected with friends and family, but we also use it as a way to compare ourselves to others. We scroll through our feeds and see pictures of our friends living what appear to be perfect lives. We see them on vacation, at parties, or doing things we wish we were doing. This can lead to feelings of envy and loneliness, which in turn can make us crave more social media attention.
It’s a vicious cycle that can be difficult to break free from, but it’s one that many of us are trapped in nonetheless. If you find yourself spending hours on social media every day or you find yourself feeling anxious when you’re not able to check your notifications, you may be addicted to social media. But there is hope; there are ways to break free from this addiction and take back control of your life.
