Addiction to Social Media

Abstract

Researchers over the last decade have drawn attention to a new trend in social media use which has been described by some psychologists as social media addiction. Social media addictive behaviour is defined as an excess usage of social networks for entertainment, communication, and expression. The excessive usage of social media is damaging for the user's mental wellbeing as it leads to irritability, tension, unease, and many other ailments. Even though social media usage was already rising globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has made users use it more recurrently and often in new ways to bond with others. Social media has allowed people to work without any hindrance in the pandemic, but some users have resorted to its excess use. This chapter provides an important perspective on the rising use of social media across the world. This chapter also provides guidelines on how to reduce the use of social media and use it when required.