(cover image by ooceey from Pixabay)

We have blogged about the effects of social media on mental health and wellbeing before. Social media is a constant companion in our lives. The question is: How much social media is good for you? Can you get addicted to checking people’s status on Facebook, looking at pictures on Instagram, or constantly checking your Twitter feed? It turns out that internet and social media addiction is prevalent in adolescents and young adults. Young people are often caught in a vicious social media cycle: Check Facebook, then Snapchat, then Instagram, then Twitter, and afterwards it’s time to go back to Facebook to check if anything new has happened. Being caught in such a cycle can decrease productivity and leave less time for studying, for example. Thus, in today’s weekly digest we put together resources that take a closer look at social media addiction, its factors, and potential treatment options.

1) What Is Social Networking Addiction? by Leslie Walker, @leswalker

This post is a good starting point into the topic because it offers a brief definition of what social media addiction entails. At the end of the post, a link to an Internet Addiction Test is provided which we list as a separate resource here.

2) Internet Addiction Test (IAT) by the Center for Internet Addiction, @DrKimberlyYoung

Although social media and internet addiction is not officially recognized by the professional bodies, it is an undeniable and growing problem. The Center for Internet Addiction is an initiative that offers a short assessment of the likelihood of people developing a social media addiction. The questionnaire items clearly tap into the prevailing behaviors of too much internet consumption.

3) Biological & Psychological Reasons for Social Media Addiction by Suren Ramasubbu, @mobicip

This post looks more into the biological and neurological determinants of possible addictive social media behavior. Shedding light into those factors offers an interesting perspective into the topic.

4) The Addiction That’s ‘Worse Than Alcohol or Drug Abuse’ by Alina Dizik, @Dizik

What is the way out of a potential social media addiction that have harmful consequences for mental health and wellbeing? In this article, different treatments are discussed and limitations are critically evaluated.

5) I Deleted My Social Media Apps Because They Were Turning Me Into An Idiot by Lydia Smears

This article describes a personal journey of social media addiction, a cold withdrawal, and a more healthy, wholesome, and targeted return to social media. It highlights the benefits that social media can have when used with awareness.

Every Sunday, we pick a theme and provide a curated list of links. If you have a theme suggestion, please don’t hesitate to contact us! Occasionally we publish a guest digest, and If you'd like to propose a guest digest click here. Our 5 most recent digests can be found here:

Weekly Digest #69: Behaviorism in the Classroom

Weekly Digest #70: Teachers' Implementation of Spaced Practice

Weekly Digest #71: Technology to Help You Create an Active Classroom Environment

Weekly Digest #72: Talk to the Learning Scientists!

Weekly Digest #73: Concrete Examples in the Classroom