Are you, or someone you know, addicted to social media? Are you worried about how much time you’re spending online?
Contact Gladstones Clinic today for expert guidance from our highly trained therapy team.
Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram help to connect people across huge distances but they can also be a place to escape reality. Cultivating a persona and a life online, connected to other people on social media sites can feel secure and safe. Online affirmation through likes, shares, comments and follows can become addictive. Fear of missing out (or FOMO) often drives people towards spending more and more time online.
The recent rise of mobile technology allows social media websites to be accessed through devices such as smart phones or tablets. This creates an opportunity for a person to be constantly connected to their social media channels as their devices are always with them. Unchecked, excessive behaviour around mobile device usage can spiral out of control. This can result in a condition called Smart Phone Addiction or “nomophobia” (fear of being without a mobile phone). An addiction to social media or your device can cause a multitude of health and mental problems.