‘Likes for social media not a healthy trend’

In a seminar conducted on Thursday by The Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF), the Press Institute of India, and UNICEF on Mental Health Reporting, Dr Mohan Raj, director and consultant psychiatrist, Tharu Clinic, threw light on the subject of ‘Addiction to social media’. 

Dr Mohan said that going by the number of cases reported, it is evident that social media addiction exists among the general population. “We can use the same CAGE (an acronym for four questions) part of the questionnaire used to understand a drinking problem.”  Pointing out to some of the common symptoms of addiction, he said. 

“Spending many hours on social media results in a compromise on sleep, work and social relationships. The addiction can be to the extent of using the phone to keep a tab on updates even in the toilet or in bed,” he said. Interestingly, being hooked to the social media creates the same effect on the brain as an addictive drug can cause.  Dr Mohan says social media, by its very design makes addicts out of its users. 

“There are some users who update several selfies, posts and comments, assuming that they have followers who are awaiting such frequent updates from them,” said Dr Mohan, adding that social media has unravelled certain existing personality problems like narcissism and stalking. 

“A string of selfies and profile pictures being updated frequently could indicated narcissistic personality traits. Some with body dysmorphophobia (abnormal views of one’s own body) may take several selfies in various angles and post them all,” he said. He emphasised that neither the WHO nor mental health experts in the US have listed social media addiction as a mental health problem. “Yet it is a problem,” he says, “One should realise it brings down productivity and affects one’s relationship at work and home because of the time spent online. Monitoring usage, allotting specific time for social media, apart from socialising offline with close ones and engaging in outdoor activities will help in recovery,” he added.