Facebook addiction is real

Hi all. Starting research for my final paper in my journalism class. I'm going to do it on Facebook addiction. This is a shnippet of some of the interesting research. Thoughts on Facebook addiction? Is it an issue for you?

.<<>> <<>> <<>>.

Checking Facebook is more important to one young mother than helping her child with homework, or at least that’s what her actions say, according to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

This mother may not intend to neglect her daughter, but her excuse highlights a trend scientists are looking into deeper.

“I’m an addict. I just get lost in Facebook,” the mother replied when asked why she didn’t help her daughter with homework.

Addiction to sites like Facebook is referred to as SNS addiction, or Social Networking Sites addiction. It is classified as a real addiction, because the same symptoms that come from substance-related addictions apply to those highly dependent on social media.

Addictions include symptoms like mood modification, which means participating in it affects the user’s emotional state, salience, which involves preoccupation with social networking sites, tolerance of ever-increasing time spent on social networking, withdrawal symptoms when sue is restricted, conflict that comes with SNS use and relapse.

All of these symptoms can be present with those heavily involved in social networking.

A whopping 10 percent of all time spent on the internet is used on social networks, and of all those who use the internet, one-third participate in SNSs.

Individual use of sites like these is increasing. From 2009 to 2010, the overall participation of a social networking site increased 30 percent in a year.

When 131 psychology students were surveyed, 78 percent of them used a SNS.  Of those who had a profile, 57 percent checked it on a daily basis.  Of the students surveyed, 82 percent of the men had a profile, and 75 percent of the women.

This is a growing concern for me. I saw it first in myself and watch it all the time in good friends. I check my Facebook about once a day, but previously I checked it multiple times a day and spent longer periods on it. Since cutting back on the time I spend, I have noticed I am happier. Life is simpler. I have cut down on the side affects mentioned above. It feels like freedom.