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An estimated 210 million of the world population are victims of social media addiction. Closer home, Kenya had an approximated 11 million of social media users, a 25% increase between year 2020 and 2021. In addition, it turns out that social media platforms produce the same neural activity that is caused by gambling and recreational drugs. What is social media addiction? Is it actually possible to live a productive internet free life in an age where the world is global and online?
According to recent statistics the number of different social media sites have generally increased over the years. A survey carried out in the third quarter of 2021, WhatsApp has the highest percentage of social media users.
The results are as follows:-
The other social media platforms include Pinterest, Snapchat Skype, reddit and I messenger with 35%,33.1%,23.3%,14.7% and 10.6% respectively.
Just like any other kind of addiction, social media addiction is characterized by an intense and constant urge to use the social media, despite the negative consequences that come with it.
Social media contents tend to trigger the release of the neurohormone Dopamine by the hypothalamus.
The hormone Dopamine plays a key role in the general movement and regulation of the brain, this may therefore explain the report of the high percentage of the population addicted to these platforms.
Signs and symptoms of social media addiction
If you have the following habits you might be suffering from social media addiction.
1. Depending on social media to relive any form of anxiety
2. The first thing you do in the morning is to basically check out your phone for any social media notifications.
3. You get really anxious when not in apposition to check your social media, this can be as a result of either lack of internet connectivity, or in many cases the phone is off.
4. Constantly checking on how your post on various platforms perform, this can be as simple as posting WhatsApp story and every minute checking out the number of viewers.
5. You often find yourself overthinking on what to post this ends up making you less productive and in very severe cases leads to depression and stress.
· Negative sleep patterns
· Low self-esteem and lack of worth
· Increased loneliness
· Poor networking skills
· Depression and other related mental health issues
Overcoming social media addiction
Here is the light at the end of this tunnel.
Now that we have looked at the correspondence to social media platforms and channels of self assessment for social media addiction. It is not really hopeless, here are a few things you can do to overcome this prevalent addiction.
One of the ways of actually overcoming any form of addiction is to create a support frame work.
Here are a few functional nuggets that could go a long way:-
1. Be open to the fact that you are suffering from social media addiction. Self- talk is a major step towards recovering and improving work productivity.
2. Encourage healthy habits such as reading and writing, riding a bicycle and most importantly spending time with your family.
3. Turn your mobile phone on silent or airplane mode when doing tasks, this will prevent you from receiving notifications from apps that tend to distract you and in many, occasions you end up scrolling and wasting a huge amount of your time.
4. Preventing partial access of the social media platform, this means that you can have them installed in your phone but their use very limited and controlled, remember at the end of the day might need the platforms to market your business, connect with your family and friends and most of all learn.
All the best.
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