The Use of “Addiction” Language Around Social Media Usage

Question: The issues surrounding social media usage is often referred to as an "addiction." Is social media addiction clinically similar to how we understand addiction to substances like drugs and alcohol? 

Answer: Unlike drugs or alcohol, which have no health benefits and are generally harmful, technology itself is not inherently bad or good. While “addiction” terminology has been a common frame for how we talk about the impacts of social media, when it comes to clinical similarities to substances like drugs and alcohol, the short answer is, it’s pretty different. When we consider why the framing of addiction has been applied to technology, it is interesting to know that initial attempts to understand problematic technology use from approximately 30 years ago likened it to drug or alcohol addiction. Early clinical screening tools were created that used existing substance use screening tools and simply replaced "alcohol" with "internet." However, comparing addiction to social media usage with our clinical understanding of substance addiction shows that this is not an accurate comparison. 

Early models of understanding 

When researchers and clinicians first began to examine problematic use of the internet (spending too much time online, using the internet in unhealthy ways), they conceptualized this misuse as internet “addiction.” Early models used constructs or framing similar to those found in definitions of substance addiction including tolerance, withdrawal, and relapse and to clinical criteria in the DSM-IV for other behavioral addictions such as gambling addictions. To learn more about the in-depth explanation of these early conceptualizations, see the review article #TechAddicted: Understanding Problematic Internet Use and Adolescents.   

Why the concept of “addiction” falls short 

There are several reasons why addiction is not an accurate description of the range of problematic behaviors people may experience when they use the internet or social media.  

For one, internet use can be problematic if it crowds out other important activities such as sleep and exercise, even when the user does not experience other negative outcomes associated with substance addiction such as withdrawal. Additionally, there are generally not health benefits associated with alcohol and other drug use.  

In contrast, there are both risks and benefits associated with internet and social media use. The risks and benefits each user experiences are dependent on numerous factors including the content they view, the degree to which their use crowds out other important activities, and individual factors. Thus, problematic use of social media and the internet is complex and requires a more nuanced definition than “addiction.”  

Problematic Internet Use 

Instead of framing problematic use as addiction, research has largely transitioned to a framework of Problematic Internet Use (PIU). PIU represents a range of challenges that individuals might experience related to their internet and social media use including impulsive use, risky use, and physical impairment. PIU is defined as “Internet use that is risky, excessive or impulsive in nature leading to adverse life consequences, specifically physical, emotional, social or functional impairment.”  Signs of Problematic Internet Use can include: 

• Avoiding offline social connection to be online 
• Lower grades due to overuse of technology, or 
• Being emotionally withdrawn due to negative experiences on technology 

Addictive behaviors are only at the far end of the PIU spectrum.  

What can you do if you are concerned about a young person? 

• Physicians can use the Problematic Internet Use Screening Scale (PRIUSS) to screen for PIU.  Initial screening can use the short PRIUSS-3 as a 3-item screener, followed by the PRIUSS-18 if screening is positive.  
• While there are no validated interventions for PIU, the PRIUSS-18 can be used clinically to identify areas in which the child is struggling. A tailored plan can be developed based on those signs or symptoms that is then supported by caregivers and mental health providers. For example, if the PRIUSS identifies that a child spends more time with friends online than offline, caregivers can help support the child in organizing some in-person socialization opportunities. As another example, if the PRIUSS identifies social anxiety associated with internet use, pediatricians and mental health providers can explore whether other mental health concerns are present and provide treatment and support.  
• For parents and caregivers who want to prevent problematic internet use, they can consider the 5 Cs of Media Use to guide conversations and set expectations around  healthy media use at different ages and developmental stages.  
• Families can also create a Family Media Plan to set priorities around balanced media use for all family members.   

Learn more about problematic technology use in our portal responses: 

• What is social media addiction? – Guidance for parents and caregivers on recognizing and understanding problematic technology use. 
• How do I prevent problematic technology use? – Approaches for parents to prevent problematic technology use in their child. 
• How can I help students to overcome social media addiction? – Strategies and modules for helping to prevent problematic technology use in the classroom. 

References 

• Carbonell, X., & Panova, T. (2016). A critical consideration of social networking sites’ addiction potential. Addiction Research & Theory, 25(1), 48-57.   
• Griffiths, M. (1999). Internet addiction: Fact or fiction?. The psychologist. Internet addiction: Fact or fiction? (apa.org) 
• Jelenchick, L. A., Eickhoff, J., Christakis, D. A., Brown, R. L., Zhang, C., Benson, M., & Moreno, M. A. (2014). The Problematic and Risky Internet Use Screening Scale (PRIUSS) for adolescents and young adults: Scale development and refinement. Computers in human behavior, 35, 171-178.  
• Jolliff, A. F., & Moreno, M. A. (2020). #TechAddicted: Understanding Problematic Internet Use in Adolescents. Pediatrics in Review, 41(10), 554-555.   
• Kardefelt‐Winther, D. (2016). Conceptualizing Internet use disorders: Addiction or coping process?. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 71(7), 459-466.   
• Moreno, M. A., Jelenchick, L. A., & Christakis, D. A. (2013). Problematic internet use among older adolescents: A conceptual framework. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(4), 1879-1887.   
• Park, B., Han, D. H., & Roh, S. (2016). Neurobiological findings related to Internet use disorders. Psychiatry and clinical neurosciences, 71(7), 467-478.   
• Young, K. (1998). Internet Addiction: The Emergence of a New Clinical Disorder. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 1(3), 201-318.   

Age: 10-25 

Topics: Addiction, problematic technology use, problematic internet use 

Role: Clinician, Policy Advocate