The Social Addiction

Filed in archive Technology on September 7, 2009

© laszlo-photo


I couldn't pass up writing an article about the picture above. If you can't tell, the girl in the picture is being kissed---while she's texting. In a world full of technology and social websites, its easy to become addicted to on-demand communication and media. It's also hard to say no to, as we see exemplified in this picture.

Most people experience social technologies in stages. First they avoid the technology then gradually get used to it. Once the technology "clicks" for them, they often become obsessive. However the obsession phase usually wears off, and people become accustomed to the new form of communication. They use it when necessary. They may like twitter more than texting, but being on the phone best. Its different for everyone.

However, some people seem to get stuck in the obsession phase. We hear about people who fall into obsession all the time, everything from drugs & alcohol to online gamers. We don't normally think about someone becoming addicted to communication. But it happens.

You can experience new social technologies responsibly though. Think about how much time a day you'd like to spend with a technology and try to keep track of yourself for a week or two. You may realize you think you're spending time marketing socially online, but you only manage to a couple times a week. On the other hand, you might not be able to stop from answering every text message. Think about how many hours you have in a day and then evaluate where you want to spend your time.

If you are worried that you or someone you love is suffering from an online addiction, there's more information here.

Do you think online addiction exists? Or is it just a psychology fad?