Are you a social network adicted? 7 warning signs
Networks are healthy entertainment, as long as you don't cross these lines
It is very difficult to perceive the line that separates network entertainment from addiction, for the person who connects 24 hours a day everything is under control, in theory, he can disconnect whenever he wants. However, around him, family and friends notice the dependency, many areas of his life suffer and the need to do something is urgent.
Do you know someone who uses the mobile not as a useful tool but as an extension of their body? We show you the 7 warning signs of addiction to social networks, it is important that you analyze all the elements and make sure you are not falling into addiction.
Addiction or fun
Like any addict to alcohol or various substances, the addict to the networks will always repeat: "I only have fun, for moments"; "When I want I disconnect", but it is very easy to detect that something is not right when there is a massive drop in the most popular networks, also in specific situations such as a family outing to an area where there is no data signal.
The principle is positive, meeting people online and interacting with others is not bad, that's what they were created for. The problem arises when this interaction replaces and affects other spaces in your life and your own being as a balanced person. Let's see these 7 signs of addiction to networks.
1) Lack of time control
"Has it already been 6 hours"? "Sorry, I spent the time checking something on the internet", are well-known phrases of those who are addicted to the networks and still do not know it. It is NOT normal for hours to go by without noticing it while you check social networks.
The control of time is something natural in the dynamics of people, losing that control indicates that something exceeds the attention at the time that passes.
2) Tardiness
As a consequence of the above, someone who is addicted to networks usually begins to be late in various areas of his life.
The worst thing is to start lying at work or school, since "I was checking my profiles on networks" is not a valid argument.
Those lies, constant delays, will begin to affect their school performance, even serious cases are known, where people cannot keep a job.
Social networks absorb addicts in such a way that all responsibility is affected by the time spent in an uncontrolled way in front of the screen.
3) Compulsive episodes
The algorithms of social networks stimulate the confrontation of ideas in an increasingly radical way, it is not strange that people who live hooked on social networks, have episodes of rage or compulsive, frantic use of networks.
They give the impression of being desperate not to be able to multiply and write in several spaces at the same time, but they try. A network addict often opens and reviews profiles on 3 and 4 platforms at the same time, desperately switching between one and the other.
4) Problems in personal / family relationships
In large part as a consequence of the above, people with dependency problems on social networks damage their interpersonal relationships, with their families, with their partners, friends or colleagues.
It will be increasingly annoying for someone to interrupt them or ask them to perform a task, anything that involves moving away from the screen will cause them a nuisance and this affects all relationships.
5) Anxiety when disconnected
There are many circumstances in which a person could be disconnected from the internet for hours or days, trips to the countryside as a family, attend seminars, conferences or camps where the use of the internet is prohibited.
All this will never be understood by those who suffer from addiction to social networks, anxiety manifests itself and dominates the person until they reach despair.
6) Trouble falling asleep
Insomnia in network addicts is common. Usually someone who does not control the dependency, ends up chatting or reviewing profiles for hours in bed before going to sleep.
They never sleep at the correct time for adequate rest, even after turning off the device they continue to turn thinking about everything they read or saw and what they plan to write the next day.
This lack of rest manifests itself in a fatigue when it corresponds to him to get up early, the same to fulfill long tasks or to attend classes during hours. The addiction ends up affecting your life in all areas.
7) Recurring procrastination
For several of the points mentioned, people who do not control their exposure and use of social networks, end up missing work delivery deadlines.
But since every addict does not see a problem in it and procrastination is the common response: "I could not deliver it today, but tomorrow or the day after I do it without problem", so the problems are repeated day after day, until at some point the collapse would force him to understand that there is a problem.
Network addiction is not the same as mobile addiction
These terms are often confused, but they express different things. A person who is addicted to mobile cannot be far from his phone or mobile device, regardless of whether he is in a large building with hundreds of computers available, the lack of his mobile will generate anxiety.
The person who is addicted to the networks, on the other hand, will use any element that allows him to access the networks, the same if it is on a mobile phone or a desktop PC.
In both cases, however, there is a problem that, like any addiction, implies that the first step is to recognize the problem and for this we have just shown you 7 points or signs that will help you identify the dependence. If you identify these factors, in your daily life or in that of someone close to you, it will be important that you warn or take measures to prevent the addiction from ending up seriously affecting your quality of life.
