How Do You Know You're Addicted to Facebook?

Signs that Social Networking is Taking over Your Life.

Aug 3, 2009

Facebook is a popular social networking site. Like any mode of virtual communication, it's easy to become addicted to it. Uncover the danger signs.

In the contemporary world, being part of some social networking site seems de rigeur, a given, an essential part of the social contract. People are pressured to promote their bands on Myspace, to tweet on Twitter, to create their own blogs or, if they're teenagers, to be a part of Nexopia or other sites dedicated to adolescent updates, photographs and events.

Facebook is the latest and most popular social networking site. It appeals to multiple ages and a range of activities. People enjoy posting their pictures and videos on it, discussing their daily plans and playing games or taking quizzes through this forum. However, such sites can consume a vital part of one's existence to the point that real life loses its flavour.

How does one know when the line between harmless virtual social interaction and a debilitating addiction to false modes of communication has been crossed?

Checking one's friends status updates several times a day for 30-60 minutes is fine. Occasionally spending longer on the site uploading photographs or videos is also acceptable. But if one checks first thing in the morning, multiple times throughout the day and last thing at night, or even stays up late on Facebook, then the addiction to social networking might be getting out of hand.

Monitor the amount of time spent on such sites and, if it's excessive, force oneself to cut back. Don't turn on the computer until past noon. Stop at six pm. Go for a walk or become involved in non-computer based projects instead. If one is unable to spend a day away from Facebook or other such sites, one is likely addicted to the medium.

Becoming Obsessed with Old Friends, Loves or other Preoccupations

Although the social connections one makes on Facebook can be grounded in real life experience, once translated to this virtual realm, they lose a certain connection with reality and become virtual constructs. In real life, one must deal with messy, difficult, problematic situations. On Facebook, one can shut those painful facts out and focus on the fun aspects. Thus, it becomes easy to romanticize old loves, elevate childhood companions to greater importance and over-value individuals who are, after all, only revealing the most ideal parts of themselves on Facebook.

Conflict, divorces and other rifts have occurred due to people taking their Facebook use too seriously or allowing it to dominate their existences to the point where they lose touch with the tangible in their lives.

Neglecting Work, Family and the rest of Life

Facebook is frequently fun, an escape, a diversion from the rest of life's drudgery. Therefore, it is very tempting to accord it more time than it should have. Many employees who are able to use these sites at work find their productivity drops drastically. Artists lose the impetus and energy to create. Family can suffer as parents allow Facebook to consume their hours better spent with their children. Children forget to exercise, read, play actual games, travel or visit real friends when they are too obsessed with internet sites.

While social networking can spice up one's life and offer significant opportunities to learn about issues, benefit from discussion, present photographic evidence of one's activities and engage in events, it can also drain valuable time and energy. Facebook shouldn't detach one from what matters; instead, it should only be used as a tool to enhance the riches one already possesses.

The copyright of the article How Do You Know You're Addicted to Facebook? in Social Networking/Tagging is owned by Catherine Owen. Permission to republish How Do You Know You're Addicted to Facebook? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.