The pervasive presence of social media has emerged as a pivotal technological revolution of the 21st century. While it has been linked to numerous positive outcomes, it has also given rise to concerns such as social media addiction, prompting questions about why social media is addictive.
Considering that a staggering 83% of individuals in the UK are engaged with social media, it’s clear that platforms contribute to addiction causes, including a troubling addiction to social media. Research indicates that social media addiction can even encourage drug-related behaviours among teenagers and young adults.
At PCP, we jump straight into the intricate dynamics between social media use and drug addiction, acknowledging the technology’s benefits and risks to addiction recovery. We will explore the ties between social media use and addiction, evaluate the technology’s impact on recovery, and offer strategies for safe social media use throughout the rehabilitation process.
The Relationship Between Social Media and Addiction
At first glance, casually scrolling through feeds and hitting the ‘like’ button on posts may seem unrelated to addiction, particularly substance use disorders. Yet, there’s a startling intersection between the seemingly innocuous scrolling addiction and the complexities of substance use disorders.
One of the reasons that many individuals find social media so captivating is the dopamine social media connection, which is the surge of pleasure one experiences through interaction. The dopamine social media relationship extends to the joy associated with social media engagement. The act of receiving likes, encountering agreeable viewpoints, and engaging with appealing content can all trigger dopamine release, often referred to as the ‘happy hormone’.
Indeed, the surge in dopamine levels is a hallmark of many addictive behaviours. This link is so potent that it can lead to social media addiction, a growing concern in today’s digital landscape.
The harms of social media extend beyond the obvious, as it can subtly promote addiction and substance abuse. This promotion may occur directly by showcasing drug use or indirectly by facilitating illicit substance sales. Moreover, the negative impacts can be insidious, manifesting through subliminal marketing and the potent peer influence found online.
Recent social media addiction statistics have indicated that heightened engagement with these platforms may contribute to the escalating rates of drug addiction among young adults, with a notable increase observed in women.
Despite its drawbacks, not every aspect of social media is harmful to those in addiction recovery. When harnessed correctly, social media’s benefits can play a pivotal role in supporting and promoting the journey to recovery.
How Social Media Negatively Affects Addiction Recovery
Social media’s influence permeates various facets of our lives, including the realm of addiction recovery. Regular engagement with these platforms can impact mental health and potentially hinder the path to rehabilitation from Substance Use Disorders (SUD).
Social media use contributes to loneliness
Despite its ability to connect people worldwide, research has linked prolonged social media use with heightened feelings of loneliness and self-isolation. The findings also suggest that individuals might turn to social media to escape challenging emotions rather than maintain connections with friends and family, leading to social media withdrawal symptoms.
It has been posited that increased time on social media correlates with diminished real-world social interactions. This digital engagement can create the illusion of numerous ‘friends’ while genuine social connections remain scarce.
Social media use can trigger anxiety and depression
Studies have found that frequent social media use is tied to increased instances of anxiety and depression. This could be due to a variety of factors, including cyberbullying, envy, low self-esteem, body image issues, and the fear of missing out (FOMO). These detrimental psychological impacts are collectively known as the ‘Instagram effect,’ highlighting the negative consequences of the unrealistic standards of perfection often portrayed on certain social media platforms.
Social media platforms promote drug use and dangerous behaviours
Regrettably, the glamorization of drug use on social media portrays substance consumption as both glamorous and fashionable, which can promote drug use, particularly influencing teens and young adults who are more vulnerable to peer pressure. This troubling trend underscores the serious social, physical, and financial impacts of substance use disorders.
It facilitates drug sales
Social media platforms are increasingly being exploited as conduits for the sale and purchase of illegal drugs, leveraging features like anonymity to reach a broad audience. Despite efforts by many platforms to curb drug-related content, acquiring illegal substances through these channels remains alarmingly straightforward.
Social media has a significant time tax
The lure of social media addiction is a significant drain on time, diverting attention from activities that could foster recovery. In the UK, the time spent on social media averages nearly two hours daily, representing a substantial distraction from more beneficial pursuits.
A hallmark of addiction recovery is embracing greater responsibility and redirecting energy into productive tasks. Whether it’s excelling in schoolwork, advancing in your career, or enriching personal relationships, these endeavours are crucial for meaningful progress in recovery, family, exercise, and even healthy recreational activities.
They can distract from real relationships
The foundation of successful recovery often lies in close-knit support groups and robust community support. However, social media may create an illusion of extensive social connections, most of which lack the depth of real-world social bonds. Time and energy could be more effectively invested in cultivating genuine relationships that support healing and growth.
Social media may be used as a substitute for addictive substances
The rise of social media addiction, particularly among teens and young adults, is a growing concern. The dopamine rush provided by social media can lead to its excessive use, which in turn may result in a host of adverse outcomes, including excessive screen time, engagement in unsafe social media practices, financial imprudence, cyberbullying, and exposure to sexual harassment.
Understanding Social Media Addiction
Social media addiction is defined as:
‘compulsive engagement in social media platforms that significantly disrupts the users’ functioning in important life domains, such as interpersonal relations, work or study performance, and physical health.’
Social media addiction could involve one or more of the following key features:
Spending an unhealthy amount of time scrolling through social feeds
An obsession with growing a following
The use of social media as a coping mechanism for avoiding unpleasant emotions or real-world situations is a troubling trend, potentially exacerbating reliance on these platforms and hindering genuine emotional processing and resolution.
Failing to curb your excessive social media use even after several attempts
Experiencing psychological distress when unable to access social media, similar to withdrawal
The pervasive influence of social media often leads to a significant disruption of life, impacting crucial aspects such as family, work, health, and finances, which can be indicative of social media addiction.
While susceptibility to social media addiction can affect anyone, certain risk factors have been identified that elevate the likelihood of developing this digital dependency.
Teens and young adults
Women
Individuals with low self-esteem
Those who tend to be more impulsive
People with a previous history of anxiety, depression, social anxiety, and loneliness
Individuals who pay more attention to negative information
Advantages of Using Social Media for Addiction Recovery
Despite the negative press, social media can be a useful tool for addiction recovery.
Social media can act as an important tool for information gathering
Social media has become the go-to source for a multitude of individuals seeking news, entertainment, and social interaction, thereby acting as a repository of trusted information, particularly in the realm of addiction recovery. It’s vital, however, to source this information from reliable, verifiable, and impartial outlets.
It offers access to support groups
When navigated with care, social media can transform into a valuable tool, offering access to support groups and fostering addiction recovery communities that provide solidarity and assistance. Peer support is a cornerstone of the addiction recovery process, and social media simplifies the task of locating, establishing, and maintaining these vital networks.
Furthermore, the optional anonymity afforded by social media platforms empowers users who prefer to shield their identity for reasons such as stigmatization, safety, or privacy. These digital spaces become havens for empathy, encouragement, and community building, offering a wellspring of support and a sense of belonging.
Social media is a creative outlet
Forms of creative expression like music, arts, and photography serves as a powerful mechanism for trauma healing, fostering positive emotions that can help individuals in recovery navigate through guilt, channel their energy into productive endeavors, and stay engaged, thereby diminishing the chances of relapse.
Positive content can help reduce stigmatization
Social media has become a pivotal platform for sharing recovery stories, offering a sense of community and reducing stigmatization associated with substance use disorders. By creating a safe space, individuals are encouraged to openly discuss their struggles, triumphs, and diverse experiences with this condition, fostering a supportive environment.
Social media is a 24/7 resource
Providing 24/7 support, social media is a constant resource for information, engaging content, and assistance in addiction recovery services. This continuous availability is particularly beneficial when traditional in-person support systems may not be accessible at all hours.
Tips for Safe Social Media Use During Addiction Recovery
While social media use can be beneficial during your addiction recovery journey, it’s crucial to balance its advantages with the potential risks by promoting safe social media use. This is particularly important for those battling substance use disorders, as a mindful approach to social media can mitigate associated dangers.
Be careful of the content you curate. Avoid exposing your social media feed to contents that promote drug use or behaviours that are more likely to lead to relapse. Focus on positive content which helps you develop healthy coping strategies for dealing with the challenges of recovery.
Don’t share personal info on social media. Avoid sharing personal information on social media platforms, especially with suspicious users or channels. This reduces the risk of privacy breaches, identity theft, and potential exploitation by malicious characters.
Limit your screen time. One of the most effective ways of promoting healthy social media use is to limit your time on these platforms. This can be done through the use of several social media lock apps, taking regular breaks after prolonged use, having phone-free dinners, not carrying your phones to the bathroom, and dedicating a fixed amount of screen-free time every day/week.
Focus more on social media platforms that support conversation over clicks. Social media is an umbrella term that represents vastly different forms of technology. Within the technologies, some platforms are more focused on content creation, clicks, and engagement, while others foster genuine communication and social interactions.
Look out for the footprints of social media algorithms. Social media platforms have one goal only… to keep you engaged as long as possible. To achieve this they have designed algorithms that expose you to opinions that are similar to yours and keep you within a bubble of filtered information. This promotes unhealthy behaviours and extremism, increasing your risk of exposure to triggers and relapse.
Be open about your social media use to at least one person. Just like substance use disorders, the guilt of social media addiction often causes us to hide the true extent of our social media use from those around us. Being open and honest to at least one close person about your social media use can help you identify when it becomes problematic and make it easier to have an intervention.
In Summary
The pervasive influence of social media on our modern lives extends to its significant impact on mental health, underlining its role in addiction recovery. Its omnipresence has transformed the ways we acquire knowledge, connect with others, and generate content, making it a critical tool in managing addiction.
At PCP, we recognize that both the positive and negative facets of social media use shape the journey of addiction recovery. We advocate for safe social media practices, encouraging the absorption of beneficial content while advising a balanced exposure to digital platforms.
PCP – The Perry Clayman Project – operates a network of rehabilitation clinics throughout the UK, dedicated to aiding those on their path to recovery from substance addictions. To discover more about our addiction center and services, please contact us at 08000 380 480.