Social Media Addiction vs. Online Casino: What you must know
Social media and gambling addictions are real! Know the facts, how it can influence your lifestyle and how to solve it! We’ve prepared everything to answer all your questions!
Many people believe that social media addiction is on the rise. People spend hours a day scrolling through their Facebook feed, Instagram posts, and Twitter updates. However, some argue that gambling addiction is worse than social media addiction because gambling can have significant consequences for one’s finances.
What do you think? We will explore the similarities and differences between social media addiction vs. online casino addiction and clearly explain them to you.
Shall we begin?
What Is Social Media Addiction?
Social media addiction is defined as an excessive dependence on social networking sites. There are two components to this definition:
- First, it is characterized by compulsive use of social networks;
- Second, the behaviour can lead to negative outcomes in one’s personal or professional life.
Social media addicts spend hours browsing through their Facebook feeds, Instagram, Snapchat, and other social media networks. They often feel anxious about missing out on something they might see in their feed or that a friend may post if they don’t check it regularly enough.
They may or may not be consciously aware that they are addicted to social media. Still, it does take a toll on them emotionally and physically. Social media addiction is also more common in younger people who can get away with it because of their age; this could potentially lead to more severe consequences in the future.
Is Social Media Addiction Real?
Yes, social media has become an addiction.
In fact, a study conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics found that one in five teens who use social media shows some signs of dependency on it.
Let’s take into consideration the following data based on hours spent on specific applications:
| Social App | Hours Spent |
|---|---|
TikTok | 12 Hours, 12 minutes |
YouTube | 12 Hours, 4 minutes |
11 hours, 56 minutes | |
11 hours, 56 minutes | |
11 hours, 46 minutes | |
Snapchat | 11 hours, 24 minutes |
11 hours, 18 minutes |
Symptoms of Social Media Addiction
The top three symptoms found were:
- Loss of productivity at school or work due to social media use.
- Social isolation, when the person is unable to function in society without being connected to a device.
- Lack of balance in life and abnormal preoccupation with one aspect (social media).
How Much Social is Considered Harmful Social?
Social Media can be harmful when it starts to affect a person’s personal life, work or study routines. Social media addiction is the result of someone becoming obsessed with social media sites.
It may also have an impact on mental health and physical well-being. The World Health Organisation recommends that people limit the time spent using social media apps to no more than half an hour a day. It is also advisable that children and teenagers should be supervised when using social media to stop them from spending too much time on the sites.
It is essential not only to find out what kind of content someone has been exposed to but also how they respond emotionally. Online casino addiction is a compulsive need to gamble online. This addiction can be as addictive as gambling in casinos or betting shops. It may also lead people into financial difficulties and other problems such as divorce, bankruptcy, job loss, and depression. Online casino addiction has been linked with mental health issues like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and personality disorders.
Many people gamble online because it is easier to hide from gambling and the temptation of other forms of addiction. One study found that 73.2% of participants with an alcohol problem also had a gambling problem. The same percentage was seen in those who have issues using drugs.
Some experts believe that social media might be more addictive than online gambling because it is easier to access and takes less time, and does not involve the exchange of money.
What Is Online Casino Addiction?
The term addiction is often used to describe the behaviour of people who compulsively spend time at an online casino. Â
Online casinos are designed with many features that can make it difficult for anyone, primarily compulsive gamblers, to stop playing and get away from them. A person may be addicted if they feel like the game controls their life and needs to put more time into playing.
Of course, there are trustworthy online casinos that come with various responsible tools that can help you stay away from problem gambling. It all depends on you and how you use those tools for your benefit.
The addiction to online casino gambling is a type of behavioural addictiveness that can be compared to other kinds of addictive substances such as alcohol or drugs, and like social media, it has plenty of potential for negative implications on one’s physical health and mental state.
One study found that people who gamble are three times more at risk of developing a problem with gambling than the general public.
Symptoms of Online Casino Addition
The symptoms of online casino addiction are similar to those of social media addiction, but there are specific differences. For example, people who may be addicted to gambling can’t afford their habit and often resort to stealing money or selling things to get more funds for the games they’re playing.
It can lead someone into debt and feed other addictive behaviours. Gambling may seem harmless fun at first, but people addicted to online casinos always want more money for betting. They might sell things to fund their gambling habit.
What Are The Differences and Similarities?
Social media addiction and online casino addiction have some similarities, but they also differ in many ways. One similarity is that both addictions can take up all of their free time; however, one significant difference is that people with social media addiction can engage in it for as long or short periods as they please. Still, gamblers who gamble online cannot do so at their leisure.
Another similarity is how both addictions are hard to avoid and easily accessible. Still, the difference between the two is that professionals have been developed to help treat individuals addicted to social media, but not so with online casinos.
Finally, one similarity is that both can result in the loss of relationships and jobs. Those addicted to social media would lose a relationship with an online friend. At the same time, gamblers who gamble online will lose money-producing opportunities such as employment because they’re too focused on gambling instead of working.
What happens to your brain?
You might not have thought about this until now. Our experts in this domain have gathered all the relevant and essential information to help you understand addictions better.
Let’s get right into them:
What social media cravings does to the mind?
Social media is a form of addiction that worsens mental and physical health. The main reason for this is that it triggers the same reward centers in our brain as food, drugs, sex, gambling, or anything else we can get addicted to.
This means social media makes us feel good when we use it. The human brain releases dopamine in the same way when a person logs into social media as it does for other addictive substances.
What Online Casino Cravings to mind?
Online casino cravings convince the mind that one will recover the lost money soon. The brain will make one believe that they’ll win the next time they gamble, and everything will be okay.
This is not true as every single person who gambles has a bad experience sooner or later.
The only way in which this addiction can be treated is by acknowledging its existence and the need for help.
Online casino addiction is a mental disorder and needs to be treated as such. It’s not good enough just to “cut back” on the gambling behaviour or limit it only in some situations. The person has to make the decision to stop doing that completely, forever.
Conclusion
Social media addiction and online gambling addiction are two types of addictions that people can develop. Social media addiction has been linked to mental health issues like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and personality disorders. Online gambling comes with its own set of risks: financial difficulties, job loss, or depression.
Some experts believe social media might be more addictive than online gambling addiction because it is easier to access and takes less time. However, there is no good addiction, and therefore you should get the help of a professional when you feel you are being addicted by either social media or online casinos.
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