Social media addiction is a form of compulsion classified as a behavioural addiction. Social media apps are the kings on our smartphones. We spend most of our time on multiple platforms; Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snap Chat and all the other ones out there. Access to so much content can be overwhelming, whether we realise it or not. The scary part is how easy it is for us to compulsively and excessively interact with these apps without realising that we are becoming addicts.
We use so much tech daily that we are inseparable from most of our devices. Technology is no longer part of our culture; it is our culture. Smartphones take the lead in being part of our “tradition and culture” as a people globally. Our phones keep us updated with everyone’s ndabas; help us buy groceries and takeaways; help us get access to transport, and handle our financial accounts. In addition, we have access to apps that help us improve our health, like those that track our steps and encourage us to drink water. So tech apps do have great and valuable qualities.
However, today our focus is on social media and its unfortunate adverse effects on young people. Self-image is a big thing on social media, and we are bombarded with the ‘perfect look” which can cause a bad self-image for the viewer. Within a minute, you find yourself twirling in a puddle of self-loathing, but you keep opening the tap to fill your mental space with stuff that makes you feel worse and worse and worse. Yet again, you keep going back to it. The cause for concern is when social media starts interfering with your personal life.
The type of content you expose yourself to, in addition to how often you view it, can hurt your mental health. Think about how you feel after you watch reels or view pictures of people you admire or wish you could be. Do you feel better or worse? It seems counter-intuitive to keep watching or viewing things that make you feel worse about yourself, but you unknowingly do. Unfortunately, that is what addiction and obsession do to people. The fruit is produced from mindlessly scrolling while viewing stuff that does not offer mental stimulation.
The good news is that Instagram has added a feature to help prevent you from having an unhealthy dependency on the app. The Instagram Take a Break tool encourages you to stop scrolling after 10/20/30 minutes online. Once the Take a Break alert pops up, you will receive a full-screen warning telling you to close out of the app, followed by suggestions that will encourage you to do something different to stimulate your mind. You can set up this tool on your account using the guidelines below.
Join Charl and Given to hear more about how social media addiction can hurt you and how to stay in control of how you use it.
If you need help along the way, as we all do, please drop in for a chat via our Youth Hotline. For more inspiration listen to our podcasts on iono.fm.
I Am Youth web radio is the go-to platform for today’s young adults. Our team of young, charismatic influencers is based in South Africa. We produce high-quality content on TikTok social media and YouTube. Our primary goal is to infiltrate the spaces that young people already occupy.
