Social networking is a valuable and necessary tool for daily living. Over 62% of people on the planet use social media every day. Social media has become a need for practically everyone due to work dependency. It provides us with amazing resources to help us make the most of our time, but it also turns into one of the most deadly drugs available today. that’s why social media addiction has become a widespread issue for users, particularly for kids.
According to a survey published by the UK’s communications watchdog, Ofcom, kids use social media extensively.
In 2021, 99% of kids between the ages of three and seventeen were online. The most widely used platform was YouTube, which 89% of kids used. In the meantime, TikTok, a well-known website that lets users view and share short videos, was utilized by half of children.
Users of the majority of social media platforms must be at least 13 years old. However, the study discovered that most kids under the age of 13 had a personal profile on at least one social networking platform. For children ages five to seven, one-third of parents reported that their child had a profile; for children ages eight to eleven, the percentage increased to 60%.
The good and the bad sides of it
Social media use can affect people in both good and bad ways, especially young ones. As my colleagues and I have demonstrated, social media use among teenagers is crucial for self-expression, community building, and emotional support, but it can also have detrimental effects on mental health and wellness.
We have discussed perceived barriers and online hazards from social media use with young adolescents, their parents, and teachers at Nottingham Trent University’s Cyberpsychology Research Group.
We discovered that the effects ranged from increased online time, behavioral changes brought on by peer pressure to alter behavior, and sensory overload to more severe emotional and cognitive outcomes like worry, tension, and focus issues.
Despite the fact that social media can become addictive, we must take action to kick the habit .
Understanding the reasons behind it can help users see how they got here :
1.Social media’s addictive algorithm, which suggests content that is similar to what we recently enjoyed and encourages us to check in with likes and notifications, is one factor contributing to this. Dopamine is released as a result of all of this, starting a cycle of pleasure and reward.
2. those who become addicted to social media do so as a means of escape from their loneliness or present issues in the real world.
3.Ultimately, the urge to keep up with friends can lead to social pressure and social media addiction. Fear of missing out, or FOMO, is a strong incentive that can cause obsessive behavior.
These are some common tricks to overcome social media addiction :
1.Set boundaries
You will always find yourself spending far more time on social media than you had planned until you schedule your usage.
Establishing limits is essential to breaking your social media addiction. Don’t use social media right before bed, set time limits, and disable alerts. Limit the kinds of things you view on these platforms as well. Establish and adhere to particular times during the day when you will be able to access social media. Avoid using social media immediately before bed or first thing in the morning since this might interfere with your sleep and create a bad mood for the rest of the day.
2.Practise mindfullness
One effective strategy for kicking a social media addiction is mindfulness. It entails giving the task at hand your whole attention and staying in the present. Social media junkies who practice mindfulness can overcome their compulsive desire to constantly check their phones and become more conscious of their usage of social media. Spend a moment reflecting on your use of social media and asking yourself why before you check it. Are you seeking amusement, approval, or a connection? Utilizing social media in an intentional manner can assist you in making better use of it.
3. Find alternative activities
The best strategy to beat a social media addiction is to divert yourself by looking for non-technological tasks to undertake.
We refer to it as “going off the grid.” This can entail starting a new interest, hanging out with loved ones, or doing physical activities.
- we also suggest you to read the book “How to breakup with your phone : The 30 day plan to take back your life” by “catherine price”. This will undoubtedly assist you in kicking your phone addiction and educate you how to lead a happy, healthy life.
