Now a days addiction to social networks may be a potential mental health problem for some users. They use to spend a lot of time on social network in chatting, browsing etc. So that they seperated from real life commitments.

1. Social Media – Stress,
Depression and Coping
Mary John,
Clinical Psychologist,
Dubai Community Health Centre

2. Case study of a teenager who wrote on twitter
that he wanted to kill his friends…
The case of 19 year old Danny Bowman who
attempted suicide after being obsessed with
taking selfies and posting it online…
(Danny, believed to be Britain’s first selfie addict, had technology addiction, OCD and Body Dysmorphic
Disorder – anxiety that causes sufferers to worry excessively about their appearance.)

3. Social Networking Sites
 As we all know Social networking sites are virtual
communities where users can create individual public profiles,
and meet others on shared interests.
 Recent studies suggest that addiction to social networks may
be a potential mental health problem for some users.

4. Causes of dysfunction
The main causes of mental dysfunction could be due to:
1. Increasing amounts of time people spend online.
2. Spending time chatting and browsing instead of
constructive work, hence are less involved with
their real life commitments and communities

5. SNS
SNS are egocentric sites, where in the individual rather than the
community is the focus of attention.
Types of internet addiction:
Computer addiction (i.e., Computer game addiction)
Information overload (i.e. Web surfing addiction).
Net compulsions (i.e., online shopping or gambling addiction).
Cyber sexual addiction (i.e., online pornography or online sex
addiction)
Cyber relationship addiction (i.e., addiction to online relationships).
Social network sites addiction (facebook addiction, had 500 million
users, and 50% log onto it everyday).

6. Psychology of
SNS addiction
 Extensive research conducted world wide indicate that there is a
biological reward that happens in the brain when people disclose
information about themselves (increases dopamine in the brain),
that their thoughts are communicated to some one else
instantaneously, and people approve of them immediately, which
leads to an addiction like symptom.
 Many of us get a ‘high’ from increasing recognition on social
networks, which is similar to a feeling when we take a stimulant like
a psychotropic drug. This in turn leads to better self esteem and self
worth.
 These are however false measures and when reality sets in, anxiety,
depression and other psychiatric issues begin to emerge.

7. Psychology of SNS
addiction…contd
 Some of us are genetically predisposed to use of excessive
amounts of potentially harmful tools such as sex, substances, food,
social media etc. to relax and comfort ourselves.
 Others learn these behaviors through life
circumstances. (nature and nurture)
 Research has also indicated that excessive
internet use causes depression, or people with
depression tend to use social media often in
order to reach out for help and look for social support.
 Depressive symptoms can get worse when they use it excessively
as a way to disconnect from their feelings and escape their
problems

8. Personality Types
A few personality types that get addicted to
social media are:
Histrionic Personality Disorder: Enjoys and
seeks a lot of attention; Displays shallow
expressions and exaggerated emotions; Uses
physical appearance to draw attention (selfies);
relationships are considered more intimate than
they actually are
Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Has a need
for admiration, a grandiose sense of self
importance, preoccupied with self success,
power, brilliance, beauty, love; Believes he/she
is special and unique; requires excessive
admiration; Lacks empathy; envious of others,
low self esteem and tends to be high on
addiction.

9. Personality Types…contd
 Shy people tend to spend large amounts of time on SNSs and have
many virtual friends, as they are afraid of demands of real life and
proximity in real relationships.
 Borderline Personality Disorder:
Unstable self image or sense of self; unstable emotions;
impulsive behavior; feelings of emptiness.
 Dependent Personality Disorder:
They need constant reassurance, support and approval from
others; has difficulty expressing disagreement with others;
feel uncomfortable or helpless when alone;
preoccupied with fears of being left alone.

10.  Studies have shown that Extroverts use social media for
social enhancement while introverts use it for social
compensation.
 Those who are constantly dependent on social media
are high on narcissism and low on conscientiousness.

11. Negative fall outs
 Addiction to SMSs leads to
• low academic achievement,
• decrease in real life social
community participation
• as well as relationship issues
Marriages have broken down due to online virtual relationships.
 The disclosure of private information including status
updates, pictures, and new friends can lead to jealous
cyberstalking leading to divorce and legal action.
 Any sort of negative feedback leads to low self esteem

12. Symptoms of SNS addiction
 Symptoms include depression, anxiety, psychosomatic illnesses which affects
personal and professional life.
 Primary reasons for SNS addiction is due to low self esteem, hence is similar to
addiction to any other drugs. They get an immediate high when ‘likes’ increase,
and immediate low when ‘likes’ decrease.
 Some use this to cope with negative life events which is dysfunctional coping
(escapism and avoidance).

13.  People who are high on conscientiousness
share lesser pictures and share more relevant
articles, as they believe in cultivating contacts
without the necessity to share too much
personal information publicly.
 Males are more daring in sharing information
than females.

14. Withdrawal symptoms
 Withdrawal signs include feeling
fidgety, anxious and isolated.
 Restlessness, a heavy feeling in
the chest, intense palpitations,
sad mood, anger, irritable
behavior are some of the
common signs of being an
addict when a person is unable
to access his gadget for even a
short time.

15. Coping Techniques
 Learning to have other forms of relaxation.
 Achieving a reasonable balance between risk and opportunity.
 Better education in digital literacy is important.
 Better sense of individual audience
 Self control
 Self respect
 Always be mindful of what we share about ourselves, remember this
may also implicate others.
 Do not believe all that you see and read.
 Give space to grow and change
 Believe in the real world rather than a world of fantasy.
 Facing life and dealing with it rather than hiding away in the so
called virtual world.