How Our Bodies React When We Use Social Media – and When We Stop

The average adult in the UK spends nearly two hours daily on social media, while younger users may engage for up to five hours. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok captivate users, making it challenging to disconnect.

The Body’s Response to Social Media

A recent study examined how social media affects the body. Researchers asked 54 young adults to browse Instagram for 15 minutes while electrodes monitored their heart rate and sweating (skin conductance). To compare, participants also read a news article before using Instagram.

Findings revealed that Instagram use slowed heart rates but increased sweating, indicating deep attention and emotional engagement. This response was unique to social media, as reading a news article did not trigger the same effects.

Stress and Anxiety After Logging Off

The most intriguing observation occurred when participants were interrupted and asked to read another news article after scrolling Instagram. Instead of returning to a calmer state, their sweating increased, and heart rates spiked.

Participants reported stress, anxiety, and cravings after disconnecting from social media, resembling withdrawal symptoms seen in addiction cases.

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Is Social Media Addiction Real?

While social media addiction is not officially classified as a mental health disorder, researchers examined its potential effects. Participants completed a questionnaire measuring how social media use impacts daily life, including work, studies, and relationships.

Interestingly, physiological responses (heart rate and sweating) were similar across participants, regardless of whether they scored high or low on addiction measures. This suggests that while social media is highly engaging, it does not necessarily indicate addiction for all users.

Powerful Rewards but Not Always Addiction

Social media provides strong psychological rewards, especially through its social aspects. Unlike drugs, it fulfills basic human needs such as belonging and social validation.

Rather than labeling social media use as an addiction, researchers caution against pathologizing normal behavior. Their previous studies indicate that taking a break from social media does not significantly impact well-being, as people can fulfill social needs through face-to-face interactions.

Conclusion

While social media captivates users and triggers strong physiological responses, it may not always lead to addiction. Instead, it highlights how deeply intertwined digital platforms are with human social needs.