Social media is a part of most of our lives. And it has a lot of benefits, like being able to stay connected over long distances and find people who share your identity and experiences. But it’s also designed to be addictive by giving you regular hits of dopamine—it can cause mental health struggles, changes in habits, and even worsen your attention span. Here are some signs you’re addicted to social media, and what you can do to take control of your screen time.
1. You’re spending hours every day on social media.
There’s no specific amount of time that is “too much” to be on social media. But if you find yourself spending hours every day scrolling mindlessly, or scrolling continuously for long periods of time, it could be a bad sign. Luckily, many apps and phones allow you to set limits on your screen time, or reminders to close the app and take a break.
2. You open your phone reflexively, without a purpose in mind.
When you’re in the bathroom, between tasks, or even waiting for the bus, do you find yourself opening your phone without even thinking about it? This could mean you’re hooked on social media. Try to think about using social media intentionally. This might look like setting time limits for yourself, only using it in certain situations, or limiting yourself to a couple of apps.
3. You’re always checking for a new notification.
Part of social media’s dopamine rush comes when you get engagement on your posts. After all, it feels good to be recognized by others! You don’t want to always be waiting for the next notification, though. If you’re checking again and again until a new comment comes in, consider changing your notification settings so you get fewer of them. This may seem tough at first, but it might help you realize that the notifications can wait.
4. You spend a lot of time thinking about social media when not on it.
Are you thinking about your favorite social media app while working? While spending time with family? Driving to a date? While social media can be good, you want to be able to enjoy the rest of your life as well. Constantly thinking about social media might mean it’s taking up too much space in your head.
5. During activities or parties, you’re thinking about the best way to post about it.
We hear a lot about “living in the moment.” One of the things that often pulls us out of the present is thinking about what photos to post, what caption to write, or what details are worth sharing. Try giving yourself five to ten minutes to write down any ideas you have for social media posts. Then, put those ideas away for later and go back to whatever activity you’re doing.
6. You’re on social media instead of doing work or being with others.
When anything routinely gets in the way of your work or social time, it could be a bad sign. Social media is no exception. If you’re choosing to scroll through new TikToks instead of spending time with someone you love or responding to Instagram messages over emails, you may need a change like setting time restrictions.
7. You feel less interested in your usual hobbies.
What do you like to do for fun? Is it gardening, weaving, playing sports, science experiments, writing? When these things start to feel less fun than they used to, and social media seems more alluring, it’s a sign that your social media use is causing you stress, and maybe even a sign of deeper unhappiness. Having other people who can encourage you to put down the phone, or even do those activities with you, can be really helpful.
8. You get anxious when you can’t be on social media.
This is a very common signal of social media addiction. You don’t want to be worrying about Pinterest or Snapchat when you’re living your life. By implementing things like screen time restrictions and intentional phone use, you might be able to reduce some of that anxiety, or even get rid of it entirely.
9. You feel like you’ll miss out on something big if you’re not online.
FOMO: the fear of missing out. It’s affected humans for a long time, but it seems to be more common with social media. There’s always some new thing to learn about or a story to catch up on. Try to remind yourself that those stories will still be there later. And ask yourself: how important are these updates to me, really? You might find that some of the posts that feel pressing aren’t actually essential to you.
10. Your work or grades start to slip because of social media use.
If you use social media so much that you’re falling behind in school or struggling to keep up with work, it can be a sign of addiction. While many of the tips on this list can help, it’s also a good idea to speak with a trained mental health professional like a therapist. They might be able to help you figure out why you’re so stuck on social media, and what you can do to start making a change.
11. You always have to have your phone nearby.
“Nomophobia” is a word often used to describe the fear of not having a working cell phone nearby. It always has to be in your hand, your pocket, or on the table next to you. You might feel anxious or even panicky without it close to you. To try to counter this, find five minutes to spend without your phone. Then ten. Keep upping the amount, reminding yourself each time that nothing terrible will happen because you’re not near your phone.
12. You’re using social media to distract from unwanted emotions.
Distraction is a valid form of coping with emotions, but it can’t be done forever. If you’re constantly turning to social media when struggling, you. may be reliant on social media for emotional regulation. Try to think of other ways to regulate, like talking with a friend, journaling, or exercising. Slowly, replace the scrolling with one or more of these activities.
13. You stay up late at night scrolling.
We all need to sleep, and it isn’t good when social media use gets in the way of that. You’ll wake up the next day feeling tired and groggy, making it harder to get through your day. One way to deal with this is to put your phone on monochrome at night. Removing all the colors from the screen makes social media content much less alluring.
14. You spend less time with others in order to be online.
Again, sacrificing social time for social media might harm your mental health. It could even damage your relationships and isolate you from others. While online connection is great, we need face-to-face time as well. Ask yourself if you feel like you’re spending enough time with those you care about. Find ways to boost your confidence so you feel better spending time with others.
15. You feel unhappy whenever you’re not on social media.
You don’t want your happiness to be tied to one app or action. Instead, you should be able to enjoy a wide variety of things. If social media is your main source of joy, it might seem daunting to figure out how to change that. But you don’t have to do it alone. You can get help from a therapist, a trusted friend or family member, or any other person you feel safe with and connected to.