Social Networking has become an important every day phenomenon. People cannot stay away from it. Earlier days, People use to meet each other personally, face to face interaction use to happen. But, Social networking has become a new meeting place for people. Whether we accept it or not, Most of us are addicted to it. We have a plethora of social networking websites and apps which make our life occupied. Research suggests that children and females are mostly at risk. But how do we know we are addicted?. Amount of time spent on social media doesn't guarantee addiction.
There are 6 criteria on which people can be assessed on addiction.
They are :
- Salience: When social networking becomes a predominant thing of ones life. when all you think of is being online.
- Mood Modification: when social networking affects your mood. Either it makes you happy or sad.
- Tolerance: When one need to use more more and more in order to get the same affect.
- Withdrawal symptoms: When you aren't able to use social networking and its effecting you badly.
- Conflict: When the usage is creating a real life conflict. for example, you aren't doing work because of your engagement with social networking
- Relapse: Its when you leave social networking but after few days you come back.
One needs to see these criteria given by Griffiths in order to know whether you are addicted or not.