There’s little doubt that in today’s saturated social media landscape, it has become more and more anxiety-inducing to be separated from our devices for even a moment. For example, have you ever left your smartphone at home and felt a ping of anxiety once you realize you don’t have it? This is just a bit of the conditioning that the current online connected culture has brought about, and a little bit is now relatively normal and understandable. However, for many adolescents, this new way of life has become much more detrimental. Our technology-driven world is now informing many online process addictions, including social media addiction. When this happens, reaching out to a recovery center may be the best solution to kickstart recovery.
Understanding Process Addictions
Perhaps the simplest way to think of process addictions (also commonly referred to as behavioral addictions) is as any addiction that doesn’t rely on a substance to achieve a desired effect. This desired effect is often euphoric and temporary, causing an individual to chase the initial, more intense feeling of pleasure.
Now there is still some deliberation regarding the categorization of process addictions. According to the Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, “Researchers and clinicians have long deliberated the existence of behavioral addictions. The term “addiction” itself is a loaded one. Some feel this term is stigmatizing, while others propose it appropriately describes the nature of symptoms associated with excessive and problematic use of a substance or engagement in an activity.”
To understand the severity of your daughter’s addiction, you may want to ponder some questions. For example, does this process addiction:
- Affect my daughter’s life in negative ways?
- Interfere with how my daughter communicates with the family?
- Negatively affect my daughter’s academic performance?
- Stop my daughter from engaging in healthy activities they once enjoyed?
For many young women struggling with social media addiction, “yes” is the most common answer to all of these questions.
What Is a Social Media Addiction?
Now, there are many types of process addictions. Perhaps the most well-known include gambling addiction, shopping addiction, and sex addiction. However, in recent years, online addictions have become just as common – even more so among adolescents.
There are also many types of online addictions. These include Internet addiction, online gaming addiction, online shopping addiction, and the one that appears to be affecting young women the most: social media addiction.
Ultimately, social media addiction holds true to its namesake. It is the inability to control the amount of social media engagement that one partakes in. This may include creating social media content as well as simply consuming social media content. Generally, it involves both, and it can be wholly time-consuming and emotionally destructive if not addressed.
Managing a Social Media Addiction After Leaving a Recovery Center
When a social media addiction takes hold, it is important to seek help right away. For many young women, attending a residential recovery center is the right answer.
A recovery center can help break the uncontrollable connection to social media by eliminating access to devices. Meanwhile, more important than that, a recovery center can help get to the underlying issues that often cause addictive processes. Once these are uncovered, then new coping mechanisms can be developed, and healthy behavioral adjustments can be made. However, these tools can become less effective when presented with an unhealthy online environment after leaving a recovery center.
Creating a Social Media Addiction Relapse Prevention Plan
Many people think that relapse only applies to substance use disorder (SUD). This is simply untrue. For individuals in recovery from social media addiction, relapse can also be an unsettling reality.
However, relapse certainly doesn’t have to be inevitable. This is especially true if an effective social media addiction relapse plan is put into effect. It can be created while your daughter is away at the recovery center so that it will be ready to be implemented once they return home.
An effective social media release prevention plan will include a more vigilant presence over how they interact with the Internet. Now, it is important to note that in most cases this doesn’t mean “no Internet.” That is just not realistic in the 21st Century. They will need it for school and eventually, most likely, for their occupation. No vigilance means ensuring that social media platforms are regulated and avoided, that their devices are free from these platforms as well, and making sure that they are sticking to a recovery plan. This may include continued therapy or attending 12-Step or community recovery meetings.
The Importance of Individualized Addiction Care at Clearview
Here at Clearview, we don’t believe in “one-note” recovery. Overarching recovery plans rarely work and often leave many individuals undertreated and susceptible to relapse.
We treat all of our students on an individualized basis, including those with social media addiction. This ensures that a comprehensive plan of recovery addresses all of their needs, not just in the moment but in the long term as well.
For now, it seems social media isn’t going anywhere positive. It is here to stay as it continues to go down the depravity hill. However, that doesn’t mean it has to take your daughter down in the dumps with it. She can rise up, and we can help.
Social media addiction is a highly disruptive process/Internet addiction that is prevalent in the adolescent population. While there are treatment options for social media addiction, it can be tricky to maintain social media recovery after treatment has concluded (due to the seeming need to be online at times). However, there are many tips and techniques for parents to help their daughters avoid relapse. If you feel like your daughter may be struggling with some form of social media addiction, please know that you are not alone. We can help. For more information about how to avoid a social media addiction relapse, reach out to Clearview Horizon today at 866-584-4788.
