How are some ways that being addicted to social media (i.e. Facebook, Instagram) can become a serious problem?

[Shannon]

How are some ways that being addicted to social media (i.e. Facebook, Instagram) can become a serious problem and do you know anyone (including yourself) to whom this would apply?

10 points to the most insightful answer.Thank you!

[Matthew]

If someone is addicted to social media (ANY social media), they will stop living their real life and only "socialize" online. The person will forget how to interact with people in the real world and become shy and withdrawn, only "speaking" to someone via computer. The person will look for any excuse to not go to school, work or anyplace that would take him/her away from the computer.

Social media addiction can also cause severe depression. This is true because the person will live for likes and followers, then sink deeper into depression when they aren't getting enough attention to their posts.

Lastly, someone addicted to social media will lose the ability to communicate properly. This is due to all the shorthand that goes on ("hru" instead of "how are you?", "c u l8r" instead of "see you later", etc.). Imagine sending an email to a boss using this type of shorthand. A job would be lost.

I had a friend who was getting close to social media addiction. She refused to do the things she normally loved to do like bowling or going to wine tastings. She just wanted to be home watching her Facebook page, waiting for likes. My friends and I held an intervention and nipped it in the bud. Luckily, she saw how this was ruining her life and set up a schedule. She didn't give up social media altogether, but she limits her time there to an hour a day.