ANDREEA POPA

Certainly, there's nothing wrong with using Instagram, Facebook or Snapchat, but when the need to do so arises constantly, every few minutes, and specific addictive behaviors develop, the problem becomes evident.

Adolescents are most affected, as they are more prone to social media addiction due to their emotional immaturity, but anyone can develop this addiction.

Social media addiction occurs when the users no longer feel well if they do not frequently check the messages or notifications received through applications. They become agitated or even angry when unable to do so. The phenomenon is similar to any addiction and arises due to the release of dopamine, the hormone that makes us feel good.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, a substance that connects neurons, playing a crucial role in the functioning of the nervous system. Our brain releases this hormone when engaging in certain activities that bring us pleasure - for example, during sex or when enjoying our favorite food.

Unfortunately, dopamine is also released in situations that are harmful to us - when consuming drugs, alcohol or engaging in gambling. The same happens when we see that we have received positive comments or reactions (LIKES or hearts) on our social media posts. We rejoice, feel good when we realize that other people appreciate us, and over time we become addicted to this pleasure, seeking it persistently, more and more often, and reacting unpleasantly if we can no longer obtain it.

Thus, due to dopamine, we enter a vicious circle that becomes increasingly difficult to control, leading to compulsive behavior typical of addictions, with all its negative effects.

People who become addicted to social media tend to isolate themselves from those around them, to detach themselves more and more from reality and thus, problems may arise in the family, with their friends, at work or school. Over time, even health can be affected because addicted users tend to eat unhealthy, to get insufficient rest and avoid physical activity.

If parents or other people close to them restrict or even completely deny them access to social media, users who have developed this addiction begin to exhibit withdrawal symptoms - they become agitated, even aggressive or depressed. After regaining access to their phones, they immediately return to their obsession. Therefore, forbiddance is not an effective long-term solution unless complemented by therapy provided by a specialist, as stated by addictioncenter.com, a site specialized in addiction treatment.

Social media addiction is both physical and psychological. According to a study conducted by Harvard University, online posts activate the same brain area that becomes active during drug consumption. These "reward centers" affect behavior and the perception of sensations. When a person experiences something pleasant, neurons produce more dopamine, and the brain associates the feeling of pleasure with the respective activity - in this case, using social media.

More seriously, reward centers are activated more intensely when social media posts are more personal, meaning users make confessions or talk directly about themselves. Normally, a person talks about themselves about 30-40% of the time, but on social media, the time spent doing so reaches up to 80%. In practice, on average, 8 out of 10 posts are about the user's personal life.

In the case of children and adolescents, social media addiction is more frequent and harder to manage. In their case, this obsession will not allow them to develop normal social relationships with others because in real life, they do not know how to interact naturally. Thus, these young people tend to develop social anxiety, depression, they lack empathy, have very low self-esteem and constantly compare themselves to others, according to California State University.

Because of this, adolescents end up facing serious problems:

● Body image distortion, as a result of constant exposure to images associated with physical perfection, which can lead to anorexia or other eating disorders,

● Frustrations, through constant comparison with "friends" or idols on social media, who have exceptional financial possibilities and seem to lead a perfect, fulfilled life without problems,

● Adopting behavioral patterns that are not worth emulating, observing how others make money and apparently succeed effortlessly,

● Exposing themselves to various dangers, accepting to do various challenges launched on social media,

● Being more exposed to bullying - they can become victims or aggressors. Teenage girls are more exposed to this danger, especially to sexual harassment - receiving explicit photos or discovering that intimate photos of them are shared online without their consent. This situation can quickly lead to depression and significantly increase the risk of suicide.

Therefore, especially in the case of young people, but also for adults who have difficulty managing their emotions, specialized medical help is essential to overcome social media addiction.