With over 2.85 billion monthly active users as of the third quarter of 2022, Facebook remains the world’s largest social media platform. While Facebook connects friends and family across distances, there is growing concern that some users are becoming addicted to Facebook and other social media platforms.
Facebook addiction disorder is not currently recognized as an official diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). However, many mental health experts argue that Facebook and social media addiction exhibits many of the same brain and behavioral changes seen in substance and gambling addictions.
What is Facebook addiction disorder?
Facebook addiction disorder refers to compulsive use of Facebook that interferes with daily life. Characteristics of Facebook addiction include:
- Obsessive checking of Facebook notifications and newsfeeds
- Strong cravings to use Facebook
- Inability to control Facebook use
- Feelings of anxiety and restlessness when unable to access Facebook
- Prioritizing Facebook over other activities
- Continued Facebook use despite negative consequences
People addicted to Facebook may spend multiple hours per day browsing their newsfeed, commenting on posts, messaging friends, and posting updates. This excessive use can disrupt sleep patterns, work productivity, and relationships.
Is Facebook addiction a real disorder?
While compulsive Facebook use is not officially classified as an addiction, research suggests it activates the brain’s reward system in ways similar to substance addictions. Brain imaging studies show that Facebook use lights up regions involved in craving and reward processing.
In addition, Facebook addiction exhibits many hallmarks of substance addictions:
- Tolerance – needing increasing amounts of time on Facebook to feel satisfied
- Withdrawal – experiencing anxiety, depression, or irritability when unable to log on to Facebook
- Craving – intense urges to use Facebook
- Negative impact – Facebook use interferes with work, school, relationships, and health
- Relapse – returning to excessive Facebook use after attempting to cut back
Based on these similarities, Dr. Anna Lembke, psychiatrist and author of Dopamine Nation, argues that behaviors like compulsive social media use should be classified as “behavioral addictions.”
What causes Facebook addiction?
A combination of factors likely contribute to Facebook addiction, including:
- Dopamine – Facebook triggers release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter involved in desire and reward
- Validation – Likes, comments, and reactions provide a social validation “high”
- FOMO – Fear of missing out drives compulsive checking
- Loneliness – Facebook substitutes for real social connections
- Boredom – Facebook provides an escape from monotony or emptiness
- Anxiety – Compulsive Facebook use helps calm anxiety in the short-term
Facebook and other social media sites are engineered to maximize user engagement through personalized newsfeeds and push notifications. This creates powerful social feedback loops that exploit the brain’s vulnerability to addiction.
Signs you may be addicted to Facebook
Wondering if your Facebook use has crossed into unhealthy territory? Here are 12 signs of possible Facebook addiction:
| Signs of Facebook Addiction |
|---|
| You lose track of time when scrolling through your newsfeed |
| You feel anxious when you accidentally leave your phone at home |
| You lie about how much time you spend on Facebook |
| Your productivity and focus suffer due to compulsive checking |
| You wake up at night to check Facebook notifications |
| You feel irritable if you can’t access Facebook |
| You avoid social events to stay home and scroll Facebook |
| You try to cut back your Facebook use but fail repeatedly |
| You feel depressed, restless or bored when not on Facebook |
| Your partner or family complain about your Facebook use |
| You lose sleep due to staying up late on Facebook |
| You choose Facebook over real social interaction |
If several of these signs apply to you, it may be time to take a step back and evaluate your relationship with Facebook.
Negative effects of Facebook addiction
Excessive Facebook use can negatively impact:
- Mental health – Increased risk of depression and anxiety
- Sleep – Disrupted sleep from nighttime scrolling
- Relationships – Reduced quality time and intimacy with partners
- Work performance – Decreased productivity and focus
- Physical activity – Cutting into exercise time; increased sedentary behavior
- Life satisfaction – Decreased happiness; fear of missing out (FOMO)
University of Pennsylvania researchers found that reducing Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat use to 30 minutes per day led to significant reductions in loneliness and depression.
Facebook addiction statistics
Some concerning statistics on Facebook addiction and compulsive social media use:
- 6% of the population may experience signs of Facebook addiction (UChicago study)
- 18-24 year olds check Facebook an average of 27 times per day (AsapSCIENCE study)
- Over 50% of teens feel addicted to mobile devices (Common Sense Media poll)
- 48% of 18-29 year olds check Facebook immediately upon waking up (Huffington Post poll)
- FOMO drives young adults to check social media 86 times per day on average (UCD Dublin study)
- 35% of adults check social media during dinner with others (Harris Poll survey)
Treatment for Facebook addiction
Treatment strategies for Facebook addiction focus on breaking compulsive use habits and addressing underlying issues like anxiety, boredom, or loneliness. Some approaches that can help include:
- Monitoring usage – Using apps to track time spent on Facebook
- Setting limits – Restricting Facebook use to 30 mins/day; Facebook “fasts”
- Removing apps – Deleting the Facebook app from your phone
- Opt-out of notifications – Disable push notifications to reduce distraction
- Find alternatives – Replace Facebook time with social activities
- Counseling – Address underlying mental health issues like anxiety, depression, loneliness
- Meditation – Build awareness; reduce compulsive habits
For some with severe addiction, a digital detox at a tech-free residential treatment facility may be needed to reset unhealthy social media patterns.
Tips to control Facebook use
To take control of your Facebook use and prevent addiction:
- Delete the app from your phone and access Facebook from a computer
- Turn off all notifications so you choose when to check
- Set a daily time limit using Facebook’s Settings tools
- Avoid accessing Facebook first thing in the morning or before bed
- Engage in activities that provide mood boosts other than social media
- Spend more time on hobbies and with family/friends
- Find new ways to connect with supportive people offline
- Seek counseling if underlying issues are driving overuse
Early signs of Facebook addiction in children
Parents should watch for these early warning signs of unhealthy social media use in kids:
- Child becomes irritable if they can’t access Facebook
- Facebook use disrupts sleep, homework, chores, hobbies
- Child lies about social media use or sneaks online
- Drop in school grades attributed to social media use
- Withdrawing from family activities to spend more time online
- Less interest in offline social activities with friends
- Obsessively checking notifications and likes
Setting age-appropriate time limits, keeping computers in public spaces, role modeling healthy use, and promoting offline social connection can help prevent Facebook addiction in children.
Facebook addiction quiz
Here is a quick 5 question Facebook addiction quiz to assess your level of dependence:
| Question | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Do you lose track of time when on Facebook? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Do you feel uncomfortable or anxious when unable to check Facebook? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Do you regularly choose Facebook over other activities you enjoy? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Do you lie to others about how much you use Facebook? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Do you struggle to control or cut back your Facebook usage? | ☐ | ☐ |
If you answered “Yes” to 3 or more questions, you may be exhibiting signs of Facebook addiction. Speak with a mental health professional if Facebook use is negatively impacting your life.
Facebook addiction stories
To illustrate the impact of excessive social media use, here are two stories of people overcoming Facebook addiction:
Mary’s story
Mary is a 19-year old college student who spent 5-6 hours per day scrolling through Facebook. Her compulsive use caused her to neglect schoolwork, lose sleep, and isolate herself from real friends. After failing two classes, Mary realized her Facebook fixation had become an addiction. She deleted the app from her phone, limited Facebook use to 30 minutes per day on her laptop, and committed to reconnecting with friends face-to-face. Within two months, Mary was sleeping better, performing better academically, and rebuilding offline relationships.
John’s story
John is a 42-year old marketer who constantly checked Facebook and Instagram for work. Over time, his social media use bled into evenings and weekends. John realized he was addicted when he spent a 2-hour anniversary dinner on his phone scrolling instead of conversing with his wife. He began leaving his phone in another room while spending time with his family. He also took up jogging and meditation to reduce his habitual Facebook checking. Within 6 months, John had regained balance, improved his marriage, and felt in control of his social media use for the first time in years.
Facebook addiction books
Some top books exploring social media and internet addiction include:
- Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked by Adam Alter
- The Social Dilemma by Jeff Orlowski et al.
- Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal
- Click Here to Kill Everybody: Security and Survival in a Hyper-connected World by Bruce Schneier
- iDisorder: Understanding Our Obsession with Technology and Overcoming Its Hold on Us by Larry Rosen
Facebook addiction conclusion
In conclusion, Facebook addiction is a very real problem for a subset of users who compulsively overuse the platform. While not officially recognized as a disorder, Facebook addiction exhibits characteristics aligned with substance dependence. Furthermore, excessive Facebook use is correlated with issues like depression, anxiety, sleep disruption, and reduced life satisfaction. Addressing the underlying root causes and taking steps to monitor and restrict usage can help treat and manage Facebook overuse before it escalates into a serious addiction.