‘It is hijacking my brain’ – a team of experts found ways to help young people addicted to social media to cut the craving

Friends using smart phones while sitting on stone wall. Adobe Stock Image by Annie Margaret, University of Colorado Boulder and Nicholas Hunkins, University of Colorado Boulder Many people have compared the addictive nature of social media to cigarettes. Checking your likes, they say, is the new smoke break. Others say the unease over social media is just the next round of moral panic about new technologies. We are a pair of researchers who investigate how social media affects the mental health of young people. More than 75% of teens check their phone hourly, and half say they feel like they’re addicted to their devices. Here are some of the things they’ve told us: “TikTok has me in a chokehold.” “I would 1,000% say I am addicted.” “I feel completely aware that it is hijacking my brain, but I can’t put it down. This leaves me feeling ashamed.” Maybe you’ve had similar feelings yourself, no matter your age. Although it’s true social technologies offer clear benefits – unlike smoking – many people still feel uncomfortable with how much time they spend online and often wonder if they’re addicted. Years of investigation have led our team to this conclusion: Perhaps a better...