Problematic Social Media Use (PSMU)

Watch the video below to learn about Problematic Social Media Use. It may have more in common with Substance Use Disorders than you might think!

Our Stigma Ends at CU members shared a little bit about their own personal experiences with social media. Listen to what they had to say below:

How does this relate to the science and psychology of social media use and addiction?

The commentaries above aligned well with characteristics of addiction and Problematic Social Media Use (PSMU). Some experiences mentioned included: spending time on social media to the detriment of other activities, constant thoughts of using social media, and responsiveness to notifications. These all fit into this idea of increased importance and attention towards social media. This has been noted as a key sign of PSMU^1–3. Additionally, both Sarah and Emma mentioned increasing their use of social media over time. This potentially reflects a built tolerance; discussed in the above video and one of the suggested signs of problematic social media use ^2,3. In PSMU, tolerance is often the need for increasing time spent on social media to achieve the same effect (i.e., pleasure or relief)^2,3. Finally, Emma’s experience of removing blockers put in place to reduce her social media use, aligns well with the concept of recurrence of use, also identified as a key characteristic of addiction and PSMU alike^2,3. 

Not only were classic characteristics of addiction alluded to, but members also spoke about how endless scrolling contributes to their own unhealthy social media use. Endless scrolling allows for people to enter what is called a flow state⁴. This is where a task is entirely immersive and the individual is fully engaged without distraction⁴. This state has been associated with losing track of time⁴, a common theme discussed by members. Platforms with endless scrolling eliminate distractions or breaks from content, promoting further immersion and time loss⁴. Endless scrolling also allows for intermittent reinforcement, meaning that the content we find to be rewarding is unpredictable and inconsistent⁴. This pattern of reward presentation produces high levels of reward-seeking behaviours⁵, such that people may continue to scroll for longer periods of time.

For many of the SEACU members interviewed, a major motivation for social media use was stress or anxiety relief. In the above video Holly details stress relief as a potential motivator that may make people vulnerable to PSMU. Depression, anxiety and stress have all been shown to be associated with PSMU⁶. Not only this, but body image and beauty standards seem to be a regular conversation when it comes to social media and were a topic that came up with our SEACU members. Specific categories of social media content have been linked to eating disorders and general body image issues⁷.

Many of the commentaries above discussed feeling left out before starting social media or when trying to reduce use. Sarah specifically spoke about fear of missing out (FoMO) as a challenge for cutting down on social media use. This seems to be a common feeling as FOMO has been shown to be a predictor of PSMU, with a stronger influence than personality or attachment style⁸. 

While many of the commentaries reflected on negative aspects of unhealthy social media use, there was still some discussion of the positive side to social media. Connecting with distanced friends or family and communicating about real-life social plans were discussed as positives. It was also noted that social media makes up a large part of social culture. Therefore, it’s important to understand that not all social media use is necessarily bad, but that we may want to proactively work towards healthier patterns of use. This may reduce our risk of entering problematic cycles of social media use that come with threats to our mental well-being.

For references and audio transcripts click here!

Post a comment below about your own experience with social media and how it may relate!