If you worry about the amount of time you spend excessively scrolling through reams of Instagram posts then join the club. But scrolling, tapping, liking, and commenting is harmless, right?
Maybe not. Recent social media addiction statistics research laid the blame for a smorgasbord of mental health and physical problems on social media sites like Instagram and everything from body image problems to coughs and colds are now being linked to excessive Instagram use.
And while there are many good reasons to use social media, there is an increasing fear that Instagram addiction is real and could end up causing massive harm to society in the future.
Why is Instagram so addictive?
Swansea University in the UK recently studied what really happens to our brains when we use social media sites like Instagram. Professor of psychology Phil Reed noted that the very act of seeing an Instagram login page forced some users’ heart rate to leap to over 100 bpm, numbers usually reserved for strenuous exercise.
In his study Reed noted that, “Every time you go on Instagram, if you are a heavy user, it triggers a ‘fight or flight’ response.” This ‘fight or flight; mechanism releases cortisol, the stress hormone, into the blood stream to deal with a perceived danger. Reed goes on to note that “The app makes you think you’re in the middle of a road with a double decker bus hurtling towards you – every time.”
So, why do we continue to use Instagram if it provokes such a response in our bodies?
This is all down to how Instagram gets under the skin and why it causes your heart rate and blood pressure to rise in the first place. In Reed’s study, those tested heart rates soared the minute they saw the Instagram app. But it wasn’t seeing the app that caused the response (unlike how seeing an elephant rushing towards you would for example). It was our brains becoming stimulated by what it understands the app could do for us. This provokes a desperation to see what other people are up to which is where the real Instagram addiction lies.
Reed explains the phenomenon as such, “It’s normal for stressful things to make our cortisol spike – but while [Instagram use causes] relatively small [spikes], compared to the effect of a psychoactive drug, it’s happening to users much more frequently.” It is the sheer number of times that we use social media that is the problem. You can become addicted to heroin after only a few doses and while Instagram addiction takes far more exposure, we use it so much that it can have the same effect on our bodies as any other type of drug.
Signs that you are addicted to Instagram
Research suggests that Instagram addiction is real, but how do you know if you suffer from it? Here are a few signs to look out for:
- After waking up the first thing you do is check Instagram.
- If you wake up in the middle of the night you check Instagram.
- You come up with the perfect caption for a photo before you even take it.
- You use apps to filter photos before posting on Instagram.
- You check Instagram in the bathroom.
- You get a rush of adrenaline rush when your Instagram post gets a like.
How to break Instagram addiction
If you feel like you are suffering from Instagram addiction, then never fear. There are a few things you can do to overcome it and break the habit. Here are a some to get you started:
Set up an Instagram schedule:
Let’s be honest, deleting the Instagram app and stopping using it altogether (cold turkey if you will) is a sure-fire way to fail. Instead set up a rigid schedule that dictates when you can check the app. Make sure this is less than you currently use it and reduce it further over time.
Turn off Instagram notifications:
Switching off Instagram notifications will help reduce the temptation to use the app. If you can’t readily see what other people are doing from your phone screen, then you will be less inclined to open the app.
Don’t use your phone as much:
Do you really need to sleep with your phone by your side? Does it have to go with you to the toilet? Stop taking your phone with you everywhere and use it only when you need to. If you don’t have your mobile on hand, then you can’t fire up social media.
Switch off your mobile data just for Instagram
This is a great way to limit your time on the app. If you switch off data for Instagram, then you will only be able to use it when you are connected to Wi-Fi. This will limit your usage when you are out and about.
Conclusion
Instagram gives us a lot of advantages, but the dangers of Instagram addiction are very real. If you think you suffer from social media addiction, it is better to fix the problem now before it hurt you in the long run.
