Taḥqīqāt-i ̒Ulūm-i Raftārī (Jan 2024)
A Neurological Comparison Between Addiction to Social Media and Drug
Abstract
Aim and Background: There are claims regarding the fact that the damages caused by using social media are rather similar to those caused by using drugs. Researchers think that although the behavioral symptoms and consequences of using drugs vary by type of substance, there are several common aspects regarding drug symptoms in all types; which are hence in line with social media harms. Furthermore, during recent years, neuroscientists have examined the structures in the brain that are associated with addiction to social media and have discovered several similarities and differences about drug addiction. The main purpose of the present study was to compare addiction to drugs with addiction to social media. Methods and Materials: In this paper, we will initially describe the behavioral components of addiction to drugs and addiction to social media and then indicate the difference between "addiction" and "dependence". Findings: We will later support the hypothesis that addiction to social media is not to be considered as a dependence. Hence, we will discuss the areas of the brain which are involved in recent addiction to social media and addiction to drugs along with providing neuroimaging and experiments regarding these two fields. Conclusions: In the end, as well as enumerating the neurological similarities and differences between addiction in both fields, we suggest that instead of dividing people into the two categories of "addicted" and "non-addicted", it is better to consider "various degrees of addiction". This being the case, we can accept the addiction to social media as a special type of addiction and as a degree of addiction and thus, categorize the common characteristics and differences between this type of addiction and other types of addiction and present treatment approaches which are ideally appropriate for this certain degree of addiction
