Hello everyone, welcome back to my blog. Today, we will be delving into round 3 of research for my inquiry question; what are the physiological and psychological effects of technology addiction?

Social Media Addiction: Control or Chaos?

To define an addiction to social media, it is simply a rush of dopamine or a high, that a user becomes addicted to, and compelled to chase to the point of impairment to real life scenarios. (1)

Some common symptoms may include (1) :

Losing Track of Time: often, social media users check screens without the intention of scrolling for more than a few minutes, but time can become an oversight due to the constant oxytocin release. (2)

Impact on Relationships: irritability, more so, the lack of mood regulation provided by cellphones, can have an effect on interpersonal relationships, in turn affecting home life, workplaces, and even school environments. This also connects to time management, in relation to how much time social media can take away from your real life. (3)

Fight or Flight: How To Combat Addiction:

Social media is designed to draw you in, even in your times of need to be productive, but defeating your desire to check your Instagram can come in a few simple steps.

Take A Step Back: Stop using your social media accounts for a week, a month, or even more, if you can stand it. Your mind uses its boredom to break out of the haze that constant stimulation provides. In turn, your mental health and mood have been proven to improve by behaviour psychologists across the country. (5)

Limit Your Use: Whether it be time, devices, or select friends you share your media consumption with, let your circle become smaller, easing you off the pedal that is anxiety over likes, friend requests and hours going by. (4) A good tactic is to remove your social media apps from your home screen, prompting you to find something else to do for a while. (5)

Talk To A Professional: While talking to therapists and physiologists alike come with stigma and stereotypes galore, don’t let that stop you from conversing with an expert over the addiction of social media today. The reality is, approximately 210 million people worldwide are addicted to social media (3) and untreated, they could progress into serious phycological conditions. Talking to a psychologist can provide a fresh set of eyes onto an old problem, and uncover pathways to new, custom solutions that work for you.

What Did We Learn?

In conclusion, you can combat social media in a multitude of means, from licensed professionals, to simply shutting off your bewitched senses for while; the possibilities are endless!

Thank you for reading this week’s blog post, and I hope to see you next week once more! Stay safe and goodbye!

Bibliography

1.

Jackiw J. How to Overcome Social Media Addiction – Crisis & Trauma Resource Institute [Internet]. ctrinstitute.com. 2020. Available from: https://ctrinstitute.com/blog/how-to-overcome-social-media-addiction/

2.

What is Social Media Addiction? [Internet]. Npistanbul.com. 2025. Available from: https://npistanbul.com/en/what-is-social-media-addiction

3.

Robinson L, Smith M. Social Media and Mental Health: Social Media Addiction [Internet]. HelpGuide. 2025. Available from: https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/wellbeing/social-media-and-mental-health

4.

Hilliard J. Social Media Addiction [Internet]. Addiction Center. Addiction Center; 2024. Available from: https://www.addictioncenter.com/behavioral-addictions/social-media-addiction/

5.

RefreshMH. Simple Ways to Stop Social Media Addiction – Heron Ridge Associates of Michigan [Internet]. Heron Ridge Associates of Michigan. 2020. Available from: https://www.heronridgeassocs.com/stop-social-media-addiction/