Social Media Addiction
Social media; we love it, we need it and we’re certainly not getting rid of it anytime soon. However, research from the Ditch the Label 2017 Annual Bullying Survey is sadly finding that we have a greater dissatisfaction with ourselves as a result of our increased reliance on online interactions. How many times have you looked at a picture of yourself and hated the way that you looked?
Key findings show that young people are increasingly addicted to social media:
- Nearly 1 in 3 use it constantly
- 60% are unable to go more than a day without using social media
- 75% use it at least several times a day
- 40% said that they would feel bad if nobody like their selfies
- 35% said the more followers they have the more confident they feel
- 34% said they would delete a post if it didn’t get enough likes
- 47% said they wouldn’t discuss the bad things going on in their lives on social media
When asked “what is the longest you could go without checking your social media?” 5% of respondents said that they couldn’t do it, and 14% said 3-5 hours. Additionally, 14% of those surveyed said that they would feel stressed if they had no access to social media for a day.
Take our quiz to see if you are addicted to social media!
Is our constant scrolling, liking and swiping proving to be detrimental to our health?
well, the answer is yes. Spending too much time trawling through social media can have negative effects on our well-being. Studies have shown that social media addiction can lead to a whole bunch of problems for people, so be wary of how much time you spend online!
Some negative effects of overusing social media include:
- Developing an unhealthy body image
- Living in a permanent state of FOMO
- Increased feelings of loneliness
- Lack of sleep/trouble getting to sleep
- Anxiety
- High-stress levels
Are you Addicted?
Here are some signs to look out for which could suggest you have a social media addiction:
- Constantly checking whether a comment has been retweeted/liked/commented on
- You start to #Hashtag #About #Everything #Under #The #Sun
- You believe life is more about what’s happening on social media, than in reality
- You feel upset when nobody comments on your updates on Facebook
- You take down a post if it hasn’t reached a certain amount of ‘likes’ or reactions
- You’re obsessing over images of yourself to post online
- You can’t poop without your phone 😂
- You find yourself refreshing Facebook/Twitter/Instagram every few minutes to see if you’ve missed any new updates
- Do you use social media to try to escape from your personal problems?
- You’re constantly comparing yourself to others online
- You care too much about increasing your Instagram following
- You judge other people by their social profiles
- The first thing you do in the morning is check Facebook or Instagram
- Do you feel social media has a negative impact on your life?
Any of these sound familiar to you? If so, talk to us! If you need help, guidance or someone to talk to, Ditch the Label is here for you. You can access help here or talk to a digital mentor in our community today. #NoJudgementHere
Read our report in full: Annual Bullying Survey 2017
