I am going to be conducting a survey on myself using the Social Media Disorder Scale (SMD Scale). All questions that are applicable to me will be bolded in the questions.

Please answer the question by thinking of your experience with
using social media (e.g., WhatsApp, SnapChat, Instagram,
Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pintrist, forums, weblogs) in past
year. Answer the questions as honestly as possible. According
to DSM, at least five (out of the nine) criteria must be met for a
formal diagnosis of “disordered social media user”.
During the past year have you…

  1. Regularly found that you can’t think of anything else but
    the moment you will be able to use social media again?
    Yes/No (Preoccupation).
  2. Regularly felt dissatisfied because you want to spend more
    time on social media? Yes/No (Tolerance).
  3. Often felt bad when you could not use social media?
    Yes/No (Withdrawal).
  4. Tried to spend less time on social media, but failed?
    Yes/No (Persistence).
  5. Regularly neglected other activities (i.e. hobbies, sports,
    homework) because you wanted to use social media?
    Yes/No (Displacement).
  6. Regularly had arguments with others because of your
    social media use? Yes/No (Problems).
  7. Regularly led to your parents or friends about the amount
    of time you spend on social media? Yes/No (Deception).
  8. Often used social media to escape from negative feelings?
    Yes/No (Escape).
  9. Had serious conflict with parents, brother, sister (friends,
    relationships etc.) because of your social media use?
    Yes/No (Conflict).

4.8 billion people use social media, and 210 million people suffer from social media addiction; 4% to 5% of users are addicted to social media worldwide. In the United States, around 30% of users think they are social media addicts. More than half (54%) of teens say quitting social media is tricky. I scored a 3/9, so I am not a victim of this disorder according to this survey. The questionnaire on this survey is very realistic compared to what I see from my peers and their use of social media. This survey was helpful to me because I use social media as a mechanism to escape specific stressors in life. Teens and young adults are particularly vulnerable to social media addiction.40% of American internet users aged 18 to 22 report having social media addiction.

Among the next age group (23 to 38), 37% admit to being addicted to social media. This is a rising pattern in these age ranges. This is because social media platforms provide opportunities for receiving feedback through likes, comments, and shares. For teens and young adults, who are often navigating issues of self-esteem and identity, these forms of validation can become addictive as they seek external affirmation and approval. I typically would use it in a fashion to look at memes on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. I hardly post things about my personal life because it is not essential for me to share things with 5,000 people (this is the combined number of my followers/friends throughout the platforms), so I spend my time looking at funny posts and other people’s stressors to take my mind off mine. 

References

Van den Erjnden, RJ.J.M., Lemmons, J.S., & Valkensburg P.M.
(2016). The Social Media Disorder Scale. Computers in Human
Behavior, 61, 478-487

Okoruwa, S. (2024, January 19). 21+ eye-opening social media addiction statistics in 2024. Cloudwards. https://www.cloudwards.net/social-media-addiction-statistics/#:~:text=4.8%20billion%20people%20use%20social%20media%20and%20210,teens%20say%20it%E2%80%99s%20hard%20to%20quit%20social%20media.

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