
Excessive social media use has many of the same effects as substance abuse, says expert
Fox News
Lindsay Oberleitner, a clinical psychologist and education director at SimplePractice in Detroit, Michigan, explores the warning signs of social media addiction and offers potential solutions.
"Social media addiction is not yet recognized in our diagnostic manual — however, we have seen a growth in social media use, and research has begun to show some similarities with addiction, just not enough to define a diagnosis formally," Lindsay Oberleitner, a clinical psychologist and education director at SimplePractice in Detroit, Michigan, told Fox News Digital. SimplePractice creates medical software for private health care providers. "I am insanely addicted to my phone. My screen time is disgusting and I’m ashamed." "Individuals who experience anxiety and loneliness are more prone to problematic social media use." "Try to find things to do that can keep you entertained and busy during the times that you usually want to pick up your phone." Melissa Rudy is health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital.
Another commonly used term, "problematic social media use," does not quite capture the depth of difficulties that individuals are experiencing with social media, Oberleitner said.