Title: Social Media Addiction: What is It and How To Stay Safe?
Headings: Social Media Addiction: The Impact On Mental Health
Social Media Addiction: The Impact On Mental Health
Social Media Addiction: An Overview
Why is Social Media Addictive?
How Public Network Affects Mental Health
Some of the Direct/Indirect Dangers of Public Media in Relation to Mental and Physical Health Include:
Signs and Symptoms of Addiction To Social Network Services
Symptoms
Signs
Social Media Addiction Treatment Options
Some Effective Treatment Approaches Include:
How To Use Social Media Safely?
Hope Without Commitment
(800)-662-HELP
Page Sources
Peter J. Grinspoon, MD
Michael Espelin APRN

Content: The apparent harmlessness of browsing through profiles is a dangerous assumption. Studies have proven that there are dangers of public networks in the form of an unhealthy effect on the brain, akin to other similar types of addiction resulting from an effect on the “reward center.” The reward center is located in the mesencephalon (midbrain), and its pathways affect decisions and sensations. When one experiences something rewarding (or uses an addictive substance), neurons in the principal dopamine-producing areas in the brain (the VTA) are activated, causing dopamine levels to rise. Therefore, the brain receives a “reward” and associates the drug or activity with positive reinforcement. For this reason, activities that increase dopamine levels are the basis of the mechanism of addiction, and one of such activities is public network use. A practical example would be the feeling of satisfaction with putting up a post and getting “likes” on the post. When the increased dopamine levels that come with this sort of action drop back to normal later on, one feels the urge to repeat the action that raised those dopamine levels, hence going back to the app. Additionally, the way public network algorithms are set up, the more one engages with content, the more information the site has about the content that you like. As people use the platform more, this content is given priority to be displayed to them, causing users to spend more time than they may notice simply swiping through endlessly.