The popularity of social networking sites has rapidly increased over the past few years. Social networks provide many kinds of services and benefits to its users like helping them to connect with new people, share opinions with like minded people, and stay in touch with old friends.
Social media sites are used by one third of the entire world! 5-10% of people are unable to curb their online usage due to a psychological addiction.
Brain imaging studies shows similarities between substance addiction and social media addiction providing strong evidence that Facebook, Twitter and other sites work much like drugs and alcohol in the brain. |
A study linked the intensity of Facebook use to the level of activity in the nucleus accumbens (the brain’s “reward” system), in particular, drawing the link to the part of the reward center associated with maintaining our social reputation. Dopamine is a chemical is produced in the part of the brain that is associated with reward. When someone experiences a reward their Dopamine level spikes. hen someone gets an award they went to achieve more so the compulsive Internet use leads to changes in the brain particularly in the reward pathway which is the same sensation that you get from drugs! |