Social networks: why they call it addiction when they mean habit

Addiction to social networks is in these times a sadly common evil that is talked about a lot because it affects, after all, millions of people throughout the entire globe. However, it seems that addiction to social networks (to Instagram in particular) would be overstated (and would therefore not be as serious as it may soon seem).

According to a recent report by Scientific Reports in which 1,204 users took part, excessive use of social networks (from Instagram specifically) It is propelled above all and above all by habit (and not because of a truly genuine addiction).

Addiction normally manifests itself through symptoms such as difficulty controlling the use of what causes dependence, withdrawal syndrome or the continued use of something despite the negative consequences that it entails. and it seems that These types of symptoms do not necessarily occur among those who confess to being addicted to Instagram. (and very often they are simply used to using this social network).

The report evaluated the dependence that 380 participants had on Instagram and how they themselves assessed the symptoms directly related to the compulsive use of this platform. AND Although 18% of the participants confessed to a greater or lesser extent their addiction to Instagram, only 2% displayed symptoms that really point to a real or potential addiction.

The media would be contributing to the fact that users overestimate their addiction to social networks.

The authors of the research sought an explanation for this (obviously surprising) discrepancy by examining the description of the excessive use of social networks that was carried out in different media in the United States in the period between November 2021 and November 2024. And from its analysis it was concluded that 4,383 articles used the expression “addiction to social networks”, while only 50 made use of the much more neutral expression of “habit of using social networks”.

It seems, in this sense, that In the media, addiction to social networks is spoken in generic terms to describe merely frequent use of these platforms. and this would ultimately motivate users to confess themselves addicted to channels that they are simply accustomed to using more or less frequently.

Relying on a second sample of 824 participants, the authors next investigated the Potentially negative impact of labeling what is merely frequent Instagram use as an addiction. And it seems that when users admit to being addicted to this platform they also feel that they have less control over their use of it and they also feel more guilty when they use it excessively.

The study published by Scientific Reports concludes that The tendency of the media to classify excessive use of social networks as addiction may contribute to Instagram users overestimating their dependence on this platform. since this negatively impacts their perception of the use of social networks. The authors of the report therefore urge the media and other institutions to be more selective and precise in the terminology used to refer to the excessive use of 2.0 platforms.