What Is Addiction? Essay Example

Introduction

There are many instances where people can get addicted as it is said too much of a particular thing is poisonous. Although many people think that addiction only occurs when one abuses drugs. Even so, addictions occur in several forms from drugs, friends, lovers, and even certain pleasurable activities. This paper delves into the concept of addiction and the way social media has influenced people into addiction.

What Is Addiction?

Although there is a misconception about what addiction is, it is evident that it is a state that happens when one cannot do without a particular substance or activity. This condition arises from continued intake of that substance or activity mainly because it is considered pleasurable by the user. The usage of this particular substance or activity results into compulsiveness and begins to interfere with the life of the user. The usual activities of the user begin to be affected as the user begins to enjoy the addicting component more than he enjoys his or her usual activities. The most shocking factor is that the addicted person does not realize that he or she is addicted because they deem the behavior normal. Additionally, the problems from this individual begin by affecting him or her then it begins affecting the relations.

Addiction can be described in diverse ways depending on the substance that has caused the addiction. First, addiction can be said to be physical arising from the fact that the body adapts to a certain substance biologically. In this case, the effect of the substance on the body reduces mainly because the body has established a tolerance for it. The body begins to feel that the substance is part of its system because of continued use. This gives rise to withdrawal symptoms, which is common with people with addictions. For instance, a person addicted to cocaine will feel attracted to have a sniff not because he or she wants to but because of these withdrawal symptoms.

Even so, addiction occurs mainly because of emotional stress, which is usually brought about by the stressful events in an individual’s life. In this regard, the second form of addiction is psychological as the addiction starts in the brain. Individuals use drugs, bet or even do shopping impulsively mainly because of psychological reasons. This definition implies that drugs do not have to play a role in addiction. This is the reason individuals change from one addictive activity to another. Psychological addiction does not necessarily arise from stressful events. They also occur from enjoyable situations the way drug addiction occurs. Indeed, one takes part in an enjoyable activity continuously until a time when they cannot do without the activity. These activities include shopping and even surfing the internet.

Addiction to Social Media

The advancement of the internet to include social sites where people meet, talk, and play games has brought a new dimension into the concept of addiction. Although most people spend most of their time on computers and the internet mainly because of their work, others remain glued on it because of socialization. Online games and relationships mean that many people frequent the internet in order to get these services. The frequency of surfing the internet increases as the user continues using the sites. Moreover, the attachment with the services provided by the sites and the new friendships created over these sites makes the user prone to frequenting the internet. Recent studies show that several youths surf the internet several times a day to check on messages from their friends, play online games, and chat with their online friends. All these activities take most of these people’s time.

There are several social sites created in the internet with Facebook leading these sites. Facebook has grown to become a social phenomenon where all the people can meet and create friendships even with people unknown to them. The site has done away with the social rules of creating friendships where people have to meet before becoming friends. Moreover, the site allows the people to interact freely and without fear mainly because there is no physical interaction.

The fact that Facebook has more than four hundred million users states how the internet social sites have taken over from physical socialization. All these users are active with more than fifty percent being active each day. This shows how the sites have taken over the time of individuals making it the most visited site on the internet after Google.

The fact that all the users in these social sites have more friends than in the real world shows how the media has taken over the lives of individuals. Additionally, the fact that people have turned their emotional needs into the internet shows how the sites have become a means of satisfying one’s emotional needs.

Conclusion

In summary, the social media has changed the perceptions of people from relying on physical social solutions to relying on the internet. Currently, a large percentage of internet users utilize the social sites for socialization and enjoyment. These people spend most of their time in these sites with most people not able to stay a day without being on social media. This shows how the sites are addictive.