Social media addiction now a concern for adults

SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION has been compared to casinos, opioids and cigarettes.

- REUTERS

While there's some debate among experts about the line between overuse and addiction, and whether social media can cause the latter, there is no doubt that many people feel like they can't escape the pull of Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and other platforms. The companies that designed your favourite apps have an incentive to keep you glued to them so they can serve up ads that make them billions of dollars in revenue.

Resisting the pull of the endless scroll, the dopamine hits from short-form videos and the ego boost and validation that come from likes and positive interactions, can seem like an unfair fight.

For some people, "rage-bait," gloomy news and arguing with internet strangers also have an irresistible draw.

Much of the concern around social media addiction has focused on children. But adults are also susceptible to using social media so much that it starts affecting their day-to-day lives.