Are you addicted to Facebook?
Posted May 8, 2012 06:11:52 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Finally there’s a proven way to find out whether you’re addicted to Facebook.
Researchers at the University of Bergen set out to find a test so people could settle once and for all if their constant status updates and fear of missing something in a news feed is really an addiction.
The researchers say addiction is more common for younger users and affects more users who are anxious or socially insecure. They say that’s likely because they find it easier to communicate through social media. But the research shows people who are organized and ambitious use the tool for work and networking and they’re therefore less likely to get addicted.
You can test yourself answering the following questions on a scale from 1-5, 1 being very rarely, 5 being very often.
– You spend a lot of time thinking about Facebook or plan use of Facebook
– You feel an urge to use Facebook more and more
– You use Facebook in order to forget about personal problems
– You have tried to cut down on the use of Facebook without success
– You become restless or troubled if you are prohibited from using Facebook
– You use Facebook so much that it has had a negative impact on your job/studies.
The researchers say if you answer often or very often on at least four of the six items you may be addicted to Facebook.
But people told 1310News Tuesday morning there was little chance they were addicted.
“I just use it to chat with my friends,” said Naveem who told 1310News he could easily go a day or two without using Facebook.
Lee gave it up 6 months ago after he found the social media site was too much of a pain.
“Everyone’s in your business, there’s just too many people on there,” he said.
Others said they use it to keep in touch with friends and family over seas and across Canada but they say they know their limits.
