Instagram users are scrolling out of habit not addiction, study finds
New study suggests you’re probably not addicted to social media
- New research suggests that excessive social media use is often a habit rather than an addiction, as it typically lacks symptoms like cravings or withdrawal.
- A study of Instagram users revealed that despite many feeling addicted, only two per cent displayed clinical signs of addiction.
- Psychologists note that social media use correlates with negative consequences such as poor body image, anxiety, and low self-esteem.
- The media's frequent framing of social media use as an “addiction” influences users' perceptions and their sense of control over their usage.
- Despite these findings, nearly half of British teenagers report feeling addicted to social media, with global data also showing a rise in problematic usage among young people.