The Pros And Cons Of Social Media Addiction

As far-fetched as it may seem, a completely new obsession has arisen in the 21 ' century. This realm of addiction is not of a new drug or of gambling or of fast-food. There is a growing number of people addicted to social media. The occasional and even daily use of social media is not necessarily detrimental, but to routinely use it whenever individuals check their phones can cause them to become dependent upon the devices. People end up finding their self-worth in social media success, which typically provides the illusion of having an interesting life. It is this illusion that has caused people to rely on the wrong reality, one that is manufactured by social media. When people look to the internet instead of what is in front of them, their …show more content…
Social media is very outwardly focused where the attention is on appearance and activities and things of that nature. People may receive attention based on how they look or because of a shared interest. One study examined 2,188 members of a Dutch social networking site, and it showed that perceived similarity was the most important aspect of online friendships, but social attraction was the main predictor of a lasting offline friendship (Antheunis). Two people may have common interests, but if they cannot hold an enjoyable conversation, the friendship will not last. The results of the experiment actually displayed a significant difference in the amount of time each friendship-type lasted: "The mean duration of the online friendships was 10.97" and "[t]he mean duration of the offline friendships was 71.44 months" (Antheunis). The mere small-talk that social media can deliver will not contribute to the establishment of an enduring friendship and can even have an opposite, anti-social effect. Excessive usage of social media can surprisingly make someone lonely, even though it is a tool used to avoid such a …show more content…
When people rely more and more on social networking, they are lowering their psychological defenses. If people chose Facebook as their source of entertainment, it will affect their outside life. If the substantial amount of time and effort invested into social media was invested in spending quality time, relationships would be more meaningful, people would not feel as lonely, and people would be able to focus more on the life in front of them. It is so easy to fall into the illusion that social networking creates. Users really have the power to make themselves look however they wish to appear. It is unhealthy to take part in making an image for oneself with social media, and it is harmful to be at the mercy of upon social networking. The problem before social media users has a simple solution. Teenagers need put the phone down at the dinner table. Kids who are struggling to find self-worth creating an online image to solve that. The solution lies in looking up and interacting with people in an unscripted, unhindered, natural