Problems of Social Media Addiction

 For nearly two decades, L. Jay Mitchell has been the owner and founder of Greenbrier Academy based in Pence Springs, West Virginia. An accredited boarding school for teenage girls between the ages of 14 and 18, the academy is also a licensed, non-acute treatment facility. L. Jay Mitchell and his team of qualified life coaches, doctors, and teachers have helped many teenagers with issues like anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and social media addiction.

Social media addiction can manifest as a variety of behaviors, such as obsessively posting updates, continued scrolling through feeds, and feeling restless and distracted if unable to spend a significant portion of time online. It can lead to a variety of physical and mental issues.

One of the most notable mental effects of social media addiction is anxiety. People spending too much time on platforms can compare their lives to the perfectly curated personas they see on their feeds. This comparison can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem. Additionally, they may start to experience FOMO (fear of missing out) when they see photos and videos of friends and family enjoying activities in their absence. Social media addiction can also exacerbate symptoms of depression; since online relationships and interactions are often superficial, one might feel emotionally unfulfilled and isolated. On the other hand, too much time on social media takes away opportunities to create more meaningful bonds in person.

Alongside mental health challenges, social media addiction can have effects on sleep, eyesight, and body aches. A common physical consequence is neck pain and headaches, from constantly looking down at phones and other devices. Another effect is dry eyes, which can happen from staring at screens for extended periods. Most significantly, social media overuse can disrupt one’s circadian rhythm by exposing one to too much screen light at night, which adds to the FOMO, anxiety, or compulsive scrolling that might already keep one awake.