“Hang on a second; I just have to finish writing this Tweet really quick.” Do you or someone you know utter these sentences frequently? If you do, it could be a sign that you are addicted to social media, and you are certainly not alone.
Recent studies show that social media is addictive by nature. In fact, according to a 2011 study by an online security firm (Webroot), 54% of those who use social media networking sites feel some sort of addiction towards sites like Facebook, Twitter and most recently, Pinterest. Sometimes the addiction is so strong that a person would prefer to check their social media accounts rather than sleep or have sex.
You might have a Twitter addiction if…
- You take a bathroom break, send a Tweet, get back to your desk and realize you forgot to use the bathroom.
- All your news comes from someone on one of your many lists. If they didn’t Tweet it, you don’t know about it.
- You say something in conversation like this: “That was awesome! Hashtag cool beans.”
You might have a Facebook addiction if…
- Most of your conversations start with “Did you see [insert name]’s [insert one of the following: picture, status, wall, comment, other] on Facebook from [insert number] minutes ago?”
- You have Facebook open in one tab, open a new tab, and instantly open up Facebook again.
- As soon as you log on to a computer, you automatically open up an Internet browser and type in Facebook.com.
You might have a Pinterest addiction if…
- You start pinning in the afternoon and the next time you look up it’s dark out.
- You buy dozens of mason jars for all the innovative DIY crafts you pinned.
- You have very specific boards for your future wedding, house, and nursery, but are currently happily single.
Did you pass the test or are you addicted to social media? If you can you think of any other ways to tell someone is addicted to social media, be sure to leave us a comment to let us know!