There are many dangers to
being addicted to social media. One of the scariest dangers is that it may lead
to Psychotic symptoms such as delusions, anxiety and confusion.
A study by Tel Aviv University found a connection
between psychotic symptoms and intensified use of computer communications.
According to Dr Uri Nitzan (Tel Aviv University’s Sackler Faculty of Medicine)
some people begin to get delusions regarding the person behind the screen and
their connection through the computer. People can also start to become
vulnerable as a result of sharing private information, and experience tactile
hallucinations, believing that the person beyond the screen was physically
touching her. For some it may cause them to turn into serial killers because of
the emotional damage that it has done to them. These are extreme cases when
someone is in an intense online relationship. This may not happen to everyone
who has an online relationship; sometimes there are no side effects at all.
According to many psychologists, addiction to
social networking sites like Facebook is a growing problem; it can become the
cause of "Internet Addiction Disorder" which is very similar to
social media addiction. Both addictions are used to hide from reality, to get
away from your problems. You can suffer from anxiety. People may use the
Internet to distract themselves from there worries and fears. An anxiety
disorder like obsessive-compulsive disorder may also contribute to excessive
email checking and compulsive Internet use. Being addicted can also be caused
if someone is really depressed. The Internet can be an escape from feelings of
depression, but too much time online can make things worse. Internet addiction
further contributes to stress, isolation and loneliness. While some people use the
Internet to relieve stress, it can have a counterproductive effect. The longer
you spend online, the higher your stress levels will be.
Here is a video showing how social networking is
as addictive as drugs.
Awesome post!
ReplyDeleteI think it's important for people to know and be aware of some of the online dangers that come along with social media. There are many dangerous people out there today and the internet is like their playground. You really have to be careful with the people you interact with, especially those in which you have never met before but talk to online.
Most people don't really think about who the other person on the other side of the screen is, they could be a boy pretending to be a girl, a 50 year old pretending to be a 20 year old and so on. You really need to take all the precautions you can while interacting with strangers online. The number 1 being never to give out ANY personal information.
It's an interesting study that you posted about and how the internet/computer intensifies these psychotic behaviours and symptoms. It's something that i never would have thought of, but once you mention it, I can definitely see where the idea comes from.
-Karley.S
Huffington post published an article last month titled 7 truths about social media and online relationships. The truths they touch upon are very true and i believe that they relate to your post since you mentioned about people and online relationships.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/marty-mcpadden/7-truths-about-social-media_b_2009105.html
-Karley.S