Cocaine overdose is a serious risk in Australia, potentially leading to severe side effects or death. This article discusses the signs of overdose, associated risks, and emergency response actions.
Imagine a drug so destructive that it:
- Drastically increased mental health issues
- Ruined marriages
- Lead to arguments between parents, friends, and partners
- Increased the risk of self-harm
- Physically harmed the addict through weight changes, insomnia, and pains in the eyes, wrist, or back
- Reduced performance at work or school, sometimes leading to getting fired or dropping out
Now imagine that 80% of Australians used this drug daily.
You might think we’d be talking about alcohol or hard drugs like cocaine, but we’re not. It’s social media.
The internet – particularly social media – is highly addictive. In fact, it’s designed to get you addicted, so the social platforms can profit. Every like, comment, or share releases a micro “dopamine hit” that leaves you wanting more. If you don’t get it, you crave it.
One social media engineer went so far as to call it “behavioural cocaine”.
Whatever it is, it’s wreaking havoc on Australian children, teens, marriages, and entire families.
Recent statistics show an alarming increase in social media-fueled divorces, self-harm, mental distress, and cyberbullying…and it’s all linked to increased internet usage.
Read on to learn about some alarming Australian social media addiction trends, how it’s affecting our society, and what you can do to stop it BEFORE it gets worse.
Australian Social Media Addiction Facts – Key Takeaways
Australians are using the internet in record numbers and for record periods of time. This problematic media consumption is having severe consequences on our society including:
- Social Media Hurts Young People’s Mental Health: According to Headspace, 57% of teens feel their mental health is deteriorating, and 42% believe it’s due to social media
- It Exposes Young People to Harm: One in five young Australians (age group 8-17) reported being socially excluded, threatened, or abused online, according to the Australian National Mental Health Commission’s report Digital Technologies And Youth Mental Health published on Mentalhealthcommission.gov.au.
- It’s Increasing Infidelity: Lower inhibitions, lack of physical cues, and ease of access to new partners via messaging apps are now leading factors in divorces. Statistics vary, but one ABC News article claims that Facebook is cited in one-third of all divorces.
- It’s Causing Psychological Distress: The Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey found rates of psychological distress among 15-24-year-olds between 2011 and 2021. This directly coincides with the rise of smartphones and easily accessible social media apps.
What is Social Media Addiction?
Social media addiction is a behavioural addiction where a person compulsively uses social media platforms despite the negative consequences to their physical, mental, and social health. It’s also known as problematic internet use or pathological internet use.
It’s characterised by frequent and compulsive use of social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Linkedin, Instagram, and Snapchat.
The reason that people abuse social media is due to the “dopamine loops” that it creates, which are eerily similar to drugs we typically associate with addiction like cocaine, alcohol, or marijuana.
Humans are social animals. We’ve evolved to get a dopamine hit from socialising with each other. Social platforms exploit this human evolutionary trait by designing their platforms to “hook us”. The constant stream of photos, videos, likes, retweets, shares, etc., triggers the same chemical reaction in our brains as “regular drugs”.
The result? A destructive addiction.
If you, your child, or your partner continue to consume endless hours of social media despite it causing harm to their health or your relationship, it is most likely some form of internet addiction.
What are the Common Signs of Social Media Addiction?
Social media addiction symptoms include those that are similar to what people with drug and alcohol addiction experience. There are problems with mood changes and modifications that need to be addressed right away.
Other symptoms include:
- Excessive time on social media
- Neglecting responsibilities
- Feeling anxious without access
- Failed attempts to cut back or quit using apps
- Using social media to cope with difficult emotions
- Hiding social media usage or lying about it
- Loss of interest in activities you/they used to enjoy
- Sleep disturbances
- Causing relationship conflicts
- Seeking constant validation
If you or your loved one is addicted to social media, there are treatments that can help break the negative cycle of addiction and restore order to your life. You don’t have to keep living this way.
Can’t Put
Your
Phone
Down?
Social Media Addiction Statistics In Australia
Australians are avid Internet users. In fact, these social media addiction statistics show that internet usage is on the rise and that more and more Aussies are using social apps to pass the time or avoid emotional issues.
Here are a few general statistics from Meltwater’s publication Social Media Statistics for Australia 2024:
- Internet usage time is up 6.5%
- The average Australian spends 1 hour and 51 minutes on social media apps
- Australians use an average of 6.1 social platforms monthly
- 44.4% of Australians report using social media to fill spare time
- 17.1% report using social media to avoid “fear of missing out” or FOMO
- The average TikTok user spends 42 hours a month on the platform, and the average YouTube user spends over 21 hours a month on the platform
- The percentage of men and women using social media is approximately equal
The data is staggering.
Australians are using these apps at unprecedented levels, and mostly just for filling their spare time or for reducing the fear of social exclusion.
Here are some more alarming stats on social media usage Down Under:
- New South Wales (including Sydney) has the largest share of the Internet population, making up 32 per cent of the whole cohort.
- Facebook is the most used social media platform by Australians with an average visit of 16 times per week, per person.
- More than nine million unique visits on Facebook are attributed to Australians on a weekly basis.
- About 12% of Australians report that they find social media networks as their favourite avenue for stress release.
Fun Fact: Did you know that Facebook has more than 3 billion active users? That means that more one-third of every human being on Earth uses Facebook. That’s mind-boggling.
What Are The Causes of Social Media Addiction?
At The Cabin Sydney, we understand how social media addiction can take hold of your life. Just like any other drug, the addict will do anything to get it.
But it’s not just because these platforms are addictive. It often stems from deeper issues that need addressing.
Here are some common causes we’ve seen:
- Escaping stress or anxiety: Australians are increasingly using social media to cope with the pressures of everyday life. For example, we’ve had clients who turned to endless scrolling during tough times at work. If any time you experience anxiety, you turn to social media, it could be a sign of addiction.
- Seeking validation: Many people crave likes, comments, and shares, which can temporarily boost self-esteem. We’ve seen this particularly in young adults who feel insecure and use social media as a way to gain approval. If you’re the parent of a teen who’s always posting photos and videos online, it could be the sign of an issue you need to address.
- FOMO (Fear of Missing Out): The constant updates on what others are doing can make someone feel left out, driving them to stay online longer. FOMO is one of the biggest drivers of social media use among teens.
- Boredom: Social media provides endless entertainment. We’ve noticed this in clients who struggled with finding meaning in their daily routines. Their only way of passing the time was to scroll social media or watch YouTube. If you remember before, the study we cited found that 44% of Australians report using social media just to fill their spare time.
What Are The Impacts of Social Media Addiction in Australia?
It Hurts Families Families
Social media addiction hurts families by creating emotional distance between loved ones, especially between spouses.
The addict tends to become more absorbed in the online world than in their relationships at home, and this neglect leads to feelings of loneliness and frustration among family members.
As the disease progresses, the addicted person becomes increasingly isolated, choosing online interactions over face-to-face connections. And this often leads to frustration, suspicion, erosion of trust, and guilt.
It Tears Apart Marriages
Before we cited an ABC News story that claimed that up to one-third of divorces cited Facebook as a cause of separation. That is truly a staggering number.
Married individuals can also get hooked on social media and this can be caused by several reasons, including:
- Seeking attention from one’s partner
- Hoping to find better relationships online
- Wanting to talk to someone when the partner is busy
- Trying to expand one’s social circle
- Simply want to know what is new online
- Finding sexual gratification
Whatever the reasons are, all of these incidents can cause you or your wife to become addicted to social media sites and the Internet in general.
Married people who are not satisfied or getting the love they need in their relationship may turn to social media for adventure or thrills.
Many husbands and wives report that they’ve:
- Started sexual conversations with strangers
- Talked to the opposite sex without getting caught
- Used social media to get the attention that they weren’t getting elsewhere
- Sought out attention from the opposite sex to gain gratification they weren’t getting in their marriage
This increased ease of access to potential partners and increasing level of addiction is driving the divorce rate in Australia up every year.
Can Social Media Addiction be Treated?
Yes, social media addiction can be treated through a combination of medical, psychological, and behavioural therapy techniques. Here at the Cabin, we call this holistic treatment.
We often find that people are not only addicted to the dopamine spike they receive from Facebook, Instagram, and other social platforms, but they are also covering up deeper issues.
For example, a spouse who had an affair via social media most likely wanted to cheat long before they logged on and sent that message. The issue was most likely in marriage in the first place and not the fault of the social platform. In that case, we’d recommend a combination of marriage counselling and digital detox.
Here are a few of the treatments for social media addiction:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT helps you identify and change the negative thought patterns that fuel your addiction. You’ll learn healthier ways to cope with stress and anxiety, which will help balance out your use of social apps. Many of our clients find a new sense of clarity and purpose through this approach.
- Digital Detox Programmes: In digital detox, you’ll be guided through a gradual reduction of social media use. The goal here is to help reconnect with the world around you. As the addict spends less time on their phone and more time with other people and nature, they return to a state of calm and relaxation.
- Mindfulness and Meditation: These practices help you become more aware of your social media habits and the emotions driving them. By learning mindfulness, you’ll gain better control over your impulses and experience a greater sense of peace and contentment.
- Support Groups: Connecting with others who share your struggles can be incredibly empowering. In our support groups, you’ll find a community that understands your journey, offering encouragement and practical advice.
End the Social Media Cycle
The Cabin Sydney Can Help You Reclaim Your Time!
Tips for Parents And Partners Struggling With a Social Media Addict
We understand how frustrating it can be dealing with someone who’s addicted to their phone. We deal with it every day here at our clinic in Sydney.
But it’s important that you understand that they are suffering from a disease. Internet and social media addiction is a real condition.
The good news is, it’s treatable. With these tips, you can help prevent the addiction from getting worse, help your marriage, heal your family, or whatever else it is that ails you.
- Set Time Limits: Setting time limits has been proven to help improve mental health in young children. Establish specific times for using social media and stick to them. For example, it could be limited to 1-2 hours after their homework is done, and the phone has to be away 1 hour before bedtime.
- Engage in Offline Activities: Find hobbies or activities that don’t involve screens, such as reading, exercising, or spending time with loved ones.
- Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness is all about helping the social media addict better understand their social habits. Help them learn techniques like meditation, deep breathing, cold plunging, and other mindfulness techniques to get their mind off of using their apps.
- Use Apps to Monitor Usage: Install apps that track your social media time. No ifs, ands, or buts. If they want to live under your roof, they’ve got to play by your rules. Once they reach the limit on their phone, the apps will be blocked. Problem solved. Please remember that most young kids have multiple social media accounts, so you can’t just check their Facebook! Checking all of their apps is one of the best strategies for keeping them safe from harm.
- Seek Support: If social media use becomes overwhelming, talk to a therapist or join a support group. Sharing your story with other people going through the same challenges as you will help you gain new perspective and improve your mental health and personal well-being.
Looking For Internet Addiction Treatment in Australia?
If you, your spouse, or your child are addicted to social media sites in Australia, you can contact The Cabin Sydney for help and begin your journey towards recovery.
We offer addiction counselling services in various forms including one-on-one counselling, group therapy, family therapy, and more. During the recovery journey, we will guide your loved one through learning about their addiction, learning healthy coping mechanisms, and how to heal moving forward.
Learn more about us by calling our hotline at 1 800 251 994. Talk to us when you need help for any Internet or social media addiction problems.