I completed the Social Media Disorder Scale and I did not score as a “disordered social media user” and this was not surprising as I have made a conscious effort over the past several years to not use social media any further than is absolutely necessary because I find it toxic and unhealthy.

I think that the items in the scale were interesting and they confirmed a lot of my current beliefs about how unhealthy social media can be (and electronic devices) as they are meant to be addictive and to cause these emotions in users which is a large reason I try not to use them when possible.  I do not find it realistic to have no online social media presence in the modern hyperconnected world if you want to stay connected with friends and family so I am not completely off the social media grid but I do believe in healthy boundaries and structure around my social media use.

I think that different patterns of social media use are found across the world because different cultures do not all value things the same so it is logical that some cultures would be more susceptible to the allure of social media and the trappings that come with it and that some would have no real use for social media or desire to constantly maintain a presence online.