Why Most People are Hooked on Social Media

Most people will admit that as soon as they open their eyes in the morning, the first thing that they do is to check their phones and look on their chats or feeds. And the data of Statista divulged that in 2020, there are 78.5 million users of social media platforms. Indeed, a huge chunk of the country’s population experience the advantages and disadvantages of online social platforms.

With this amazing fact, we may ask, “why is social media so addictive?” This article will discuss some of the reasons why people get hooked on various social media.

It triggers more production of dopamine.

We may not be aware but when we are faced with pleasurable things, it triggers more production of our brain’s neurotransmitter called dopamine. Since most people find social media pleasurable (e.g. they can be updated with their circles, post their own pictures and videos, share memories, read news, etc.), the continuous usage of such triggers your dopamine. And since it is associated with pleasure, you tend to get addicted to it.

People communicate through social media.

We have various chat applications affiliated with major social media accounts. Some chat apps are now with additional social media features. These include postings of photos and videos, sharing your story, etc. And now that almost everything is digital, we primarily communicate via these channels.

Everybody talks about it.

Oftentimes, we hear people talk about updates of their own, their friends, families, colleagues, and even trending news they’ve seen on social media. And because people are naturally curious, we want to stay in the loop of what’s new. That’s why it creates a feeling of necessity to be on social media so that we will not be left behind.

It’s entertainment.

Indeed, it is. And it is not just traditional entertainment. The world has evolved into an age where people are so creative and funny. That’s why there’s a rise of memes and funny videos.

We want attention.

Social media has this like, share, subscribe, and comment features. And as people share updates of any kind, they do get attention via reactions, shares, and comments.

There could be many reasons why each person is hooked on social media. However, we must always moderate ourselves on the usage of such platforms because just like gaming addiction, it can also be one form of addiction