There has been a steady increase in global social media usage over the last couple of decades, with an increasing variety of platforms. [1] While social media can be a source of information and entertainment, for many, social media use has become problematic. [2] This compulsive use can lead to social media addiction, which has recently emerged as a new area of research due to its increasing prevalence. [2]
- Social media addiction is becoming increasingly recognized by clinicians as fitting into the same behavioral patterns as other addictions.
- Healthy digital habits, awareness of personal triggers, and structured coping strategies can prevent problematic use from developing.
- There are several effective options for addressing problem social media use, including behavioral therapies, digital detox programs, and support groups.
What social media addiction looks like
Social media addiction is not yet formally recognized as a disorder in the DSM-5, which makes it more difficult to define. [3] However, clinicians are increasingly recognizing that it follows a similar pattern of behavior to other addictions. [3] This includes: [3]
- Excessive time, energy, and attention dedicated to social media.
- Lack of control over social media use.
- Preoccupation with social media, even when not using it.
- Feeling anxious without phone access.
- Withdrawal symptoms, such as irritability or low mood, when unable to access social media.
- Reducing or giving up other important activities in order to use social media more.
- Continued social media use despite harm and negative consequences.
Social media is most popular with adolescents and young adults, and this group is deemed most susceptible to social media addiction. [4] The negative impact of social media addiction can be widespread, including anxiety, low mood, poor sleep, and relationship breakdowns with family and friends. [5]
Can social media addiction be treated?
Yes. The evidence shows that several interventions may be effective, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), family therapy, and digital detox programs. [6] However, because social media addiction isn't a single, defined disorder, there isn't a single standardized treatment protocol.
It’s therefore important to set realistic goals and expectations while undergoing social media addiction treatment. The aim is often to build a sustainable relationship with social media and address any underlying mental health concerns, rather than eliminating social media completely.
Prevention and keeping healthy digital habits
Preventing problematic social media use often involves building healthy digital habits before compulsive patterns can start. Some examples of healthy digital habits include: [7]
1. Set daily screen time limits
Setting screen time limits for specific apps can help prevent social media use from becoming excessive. This can be done via built-in tools on your phone or through third-party apps. It’s important to treat the limit as a firm boundary rather than a suggestion.
2. Be mindful of social media use
Checking an app with a specific intention, rather than out of habit or boredom, helps reduce automatic, unconscious scrolling. Creating a feed that provides enriching content rather than negative or anxiety-inducing content can help improve the experience when using these platforms.
3. Turn off non-essential notifications
Constant notifications can cause people to check apps as a reflex. Disabling notifications for likes, comments, and non-urgent updates removes a major trigger for picking up the phone.
4. Redesign your home screen
Having a home screen that hides social media apps, or logging out of these apps entirely, adds an extra step that helps prevent automatic use.
5. Develop offline hobbies
Filling your free time with fun, offline hobbies can be an easy way to reduce screen time and reduce the reliance on screens for entertainment. This could include joining a sports team, socialising with friends, or learning a new skill.
Coping strategies for social media cravings
Even with healthy digital habits in place, cravings for social media can still occur. If cravings are not addressed, they can quickly lead to compulsive and dysfunctional social media use. The following strategies can help reduce these cravings:
1. Recognize personal triggers
There are lots of common triggers for social media use, including boredom, stress, loneliness, and even specific times of day. By keeping track of personal triggers, you can address and plan for these proactively.
2. Delay and distract
Cravings can sometimes only last a few minutes. Delaying or doing a different activity for a few minutes when the cravings come on can help break the automatic response of going on your phone.
3. Replace social media with an alternative
The first step is identifying the reason you’re going on social media, for example, for distraction. Once this is established, try replacing social media with an alternative activity that provides the same distraction. This could include going for a short walk, stretching, or reading a book.
4. Learn from setbacks
Setbacks should be seen as opportunities to learn rather than seeing them as a failure. Identifying the reason for the setback can allow it to be addressed in the future.
Professional treatment options for social media addiction
For individuals with more problematic social media use, self-help strategies might not be enough on their own. In these instances, assistance from a healthcare professional might be needed. Professional treatment becomes more important when compulsive social media use significantly interferes with daily functioning, relationships, work or school performance, or mental health. Some of the most common professional treatment options include: [2][4][6]
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT helps to identify the thought process that drives compulsive checking of social media, replacing it with healthier thought patterns and behaviors. [8] It's one of the most studied approaches for behavioral addictions and can be adapted specifically for problematic social media use. [2][8]
Family therapy
Problematic social media use often impacts family relationships, particularly when it affects children and adolescents. [6] Family therapy can help address this, improving communication between family members and setting boundaries for social media use. [6]
Support groups
Peer support groups can provide important shared accountability and a community with other individuals working through similar struggles. There are specific support groups for those struggling with social media addiction, including Internet and Technology Addicts Anonymous.
Digital detox programs
Digital detox programs are structured programs designed to remove or severely limit access to devices for a set time period. [9] They typically have daily schedules and a range of offline activities. [9] These programs can give individuals the opportunity to experience life without social media and to practice new routines that can then be integrated into their normal lives. [9]
Creating a long-term recovery plan
Ensuring an ongoing recovery from social media addiction requires a long-term plan. This plan should be flexible and regularly reviewed to ensure it’s still the right fit. Some key components of a long-term plan include:
- Setting clear, measurable goals. This makes it easier to track progress and reward success. An example of this is setting a clear screen time limit per day that’s not exceeded, rather than something vague like ‘use phone less’.
- Monitoring and accountability. Keeping track of screen time and device use is important to be able to monitor and track progress, interrupt problematic patterns early on, and avoid slipping into old compulsive online habits.
- Continue getting ongoing support. Long-term engagement in therapy or support groups helps to provide accountability and support during recovery from social media addiction.
- Having a relapse plan. This could include a list of what to do when cravings spike, so decisions don't have to be made in the moment.
- Regular reassessment. Habits and triggers can change over time, so plans should be revisited and adjusted when needed. Having a regular check on screen time, mood, and sleep can also help to motivate ongoing progress.
Helping children and teenagers
Children and adolescents are especially vulnerable to problematic social media use. [11] This is in part because their brains are still developing, but also because so much of their social life now happens online. [11] Parents can help by setting screen time limits, not allowing screens in their child’s bedroom at night, and having open conversations about the negatives of social media.
It’s also important for parents to monitor the online and digital activity of their children. Setting up accounts on social media platforms you allow your child to use can help you monitor their activity, feed, and posting activity. Some parents use parental restriction settings or set rules allowing them to access their child’s phone and social media accounts to supervise their digital habits.
Schools are also well-positioned to help support and prevent social media addiction. Not allowing phones in class and providing social media education can both be helpful. However, it’s important to be mindful of age-appropriate boundaries. This generally means more supervision for younger children, with restrictions gradually reduced for older teens as they become more independent.
When to seek professional help
It is never too early to seek professional help if you, or someone you know, is struggling with problematic social media use. If you’re not sure whether professional help is required, the following signs could indicate more dysfunctional social media use that should be discussed with a professional:
- Lack of control over social media use.
- Social media use that is consistently interfering with sleep, school, work, or responsibilities.
- Inability to reduce time on social media despite trying.
- Withdrawal symptoms, such as anxiety, irritability, or low mood, when unable to access social media.
- Continued social media use despite significant harm and negative consequences.
- Replacing in-person socialising and relationships with online ones.
Certain signs, such as thoughts of self-harm, significant depression, or signs of an eating disorder, should be discussed with a doctor or mental health professional promptly. If there are any emergency concerns about someone’s mental health, dial 911 to speak with the emergency services, or dial 988 to speak with the suicide and crisis line.
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