Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, etc. are a great way to keep family and friends connected over long distances. They also serve as entertainment tools to help people relax during stressful times. However, if used too much, it can lead to addiction and other negative consequences for users. In fact, in recent years, it has been noticed that a large number of people are addicted to social media platforms, with the majority of them being teenagers and adolescents.
Social media addiction has been shown to cause a range of mental health problems in these vulnerable users, such as: B. Anxiety, depression, eating disorders, self harm, suicide, low self esteem and more. This has led to her families filing social media lawsuits against the social media companies.
Social Media Addiction: What Exactly Is It?
As technology has improved and connectivity and accessibility to the internet has become easier, social media addiction has become quite the thing.
Social media addiction can be described as being dependent on social media platforms in a way that is considered unhealthy for the users. Similar to other types of addictions, social media addiction manifests itself in the difficulty of staying away from social media platforms even if the user desires to do so.
Typically, social media lawsuits focus on claims that social media platforms have increased the number of people with mental health problems by being dependent on the platform, particularly teenagers suffering from severe ones
When it comes to social media addiction, the problem really isn’t user vulnerability; Rather, it is the role that social media companies and their software developers play in exploiting users’ vulnerabilities to make a profit. They design their user interface using features that attract users and keep them on the platform.
How social media platforms contribute to mental health problems
Most of the psychological challenges that come with addiction have been specifically linked to Instagram. That’s because the platform is used to showcase lifestyles and improved body image. For at-risk teenagers, this can lead to unrealistic standards and unhealthy comparisons. In an attempt to keep up with the standards, teens can develop eating disorders while trying to maintain their weight when trying to achieve a false standard figure.
Also, being exposed to many depictions of a luxurious lifestyle can lead to an unhealthy comparison among teenage users. By comparing themselves, teenagers can feel like they are falling short or falling short. This alone can lead to low self-esteem.
What Are the Effects of Social Media Addiction?
Using social media itself is not harmful in any way. However, there tends to be a problem when the younger population has a high level of trust or over-reliance on the platform.
Teenagers are often easily influenced and willingly absorb things from what they see on the platform. To make matters worse, social media algorithms are designed to get users hooked, making them more vulnerable to influence.
Some effects of social media addiction are:
Low self-esteem – fueled by the misperception that your life isn’t as good as others’. Anxiety or depression isolation and loneliness. Social Anxiety Disorder. Disturbed sleep patterns. afraid of missing out
Multiple studies show that social media can affect all areas of your life, including your emotional, physical, mental, and mental health.
How do you know if you have a social media addiction?
Diagnosing social media addiction can be difficult for many reasons. First, it’s not a medical condition. Second, the symptoms can resemble symptoms of other types of addiction. However, a psychiatrist can help determine if you really are addicted or if you are just enjoying the platform. Also, there are key differences between an addiction and an entertainment.
Signs of addiction are:
Relying on social media as a coping mechanism Irritability or anxiety when not on social media Thinking about social media even when offline Engaging in social media even when busy with other tasks Turning to social media platforms at every opportunity that arises Inability to perform well on other tasks due to increased use of social media Inability to maintain interpersonal relationships Social isolation Inability to resist the urge to check social media platforms Decreased participation in other leisure activities Social media – Lawsuit of addiction
Because social media addiction affects teenagers, most social media lawsuits are filed by the guardians or parents of affected teenagers. As a parent, you may be able to file a lawsuit if your child has had any of the following experiences:
Mental damage suffered from social media addiction Were under 20 when they became addicted to social media platforms.
Parents may be able to receive compensation if their teenage child has been hospitalized or has been diagnosed with any of the following conditions:
Self Harm Body Dysmorphic Disorder Bulimia Anorexia Suicide Binge Eating Suicidal Thoughts Suicide Attempt How to File a Social Media Lawsuit
The first step in pursuing a social media lawsuit for your addicted teen is to contact a social media addiction attorney in Chicago to handle the case.
Your attorney will play the following roles;
Make sure you have legal authority to file a social media lawsuit. Find evidence to support your lawsuit. File the lawsuit within the statutory time limits. Negotiate settlements with the accused. Comparisons and judgments about social media addiction
When you file a social media lawsuit, either of these two things can happen.
Your legal team and the social media company (the defendant) can agree on the amount you will receive as a settlement without taking the case to court.
If you cannot reach an agreement, your case will go to court and a judge will make the final decision.
How Successful Are Social Media Addiction Lawsuits?
Well, a major detriment to the success of social media lawsuits is their ability to prove causality. This means that you must first be able to prove that you are addicted. Although there are studies demonstrating social media addiction, they may not meet the level of academic examination to be allowed in court.
Second, if you can show that there was any addiction to the platform in the first place, you must also prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the addiction is more likely to be the cause of the harm your teenage child suffered. When it comes to suicide, it can be difficult to prove that social media addiction is the likely cause.
Regardless of these downsides, working with an experienced social media attorney who has been in the game for a long time will improve your chances of a successful outcome.
Developing Good Social Media Habits: How to Prevent Social Media Addiction
While you may be able to reach agreement in a social media process, the best way to prevent addiction is to develop healthy social media practices. In general, addictions are difficult to treat and usually take a toll on those affected.
Consider the following tips to achieve healthy social media use.
Delete your social media apps from your smartphone.
It’s easier to access social media platforms when they’re on your phone. Deleting them from your phone will help reduce their frequent use as well as reduce the time you spend online.
Disable notifications on social networks
When you’re busy with work, school, or fun activities, you can turn off social media notifications from your phone so you can focus on other things. Most people are tempted to check their social media profiles when they receive an alert.
Screen Time can help you regulate the amount of time you spend on your phone in general. Indirectly, it can also help you limit your social media use.
Preferably hobbies that don’t require you to use your phone while you’re at it. Examples of hobbies you can pursue are cooking, sports, etc.
Finally, you can take breaks from social media platforms at certain intervals. If you want to win the battle against social media addiction, you have to take responsibility for your choices. Decreasing social media dependency can help you discover new skills in yourself that you didn’t know about all along.
It’s sometimes difficult to diagnose social media addiction and its resulting effects without the help of a professional. This may be because the effects vary from person to person. Regardless of whether your child has suffered from the ill effects of social media addiction, you may be able to hold the social media companies accountable and seek a settlement. If you’re not sure what to do or how to start, the first thing to do is consult with a social media addiction attorney.
