Why is Facebook so Addicting?

Firstly, I should state why I am writing about this topic. I was just sitting here scrolling through Facebook, and then I did it again, and again, and again, assuming that I was going to find something "new" on here. What is it about Facebook that was turning me into a mindless zombie, just wasting countless hours on old or pointless news -- I wouldn't even call it news, updates maybe. But is it about Facebook that does this to me, or is it even Facebook that is the reason for this allure? I have a few ideas, but I would like to develop these ideas, and reveal them as I discuss this question.

As human beings, we like to socialize (generally), even the people who don't go out and socialize probably like social attention as well. With that said, we like to know what is going on, and the sense of belonging. Facebook, to an extent, does provide some level of this. Though we are not with people physically through Facebook, we do get an idea of what is going on around you. But, the difference about Facebook over a real world interaction is that you can interact with so many more people in a shorter amount of time on Facebook than you ever could in the real world; thus, exponentially increasing the "buzz" created from the socialization. I would compare it to the consumption of alcohol. Either you can sip and relax on a low alcoholic beverage, with little to moderate effect from the alcohol, versus binge drinking in which you feel the effects quickly and strongly. This conveniently leads to my next point, the social hangover.

Social media in general has vastly overstimulated our socializing receptors (e.g. the excitement that we get from socializing). We feel like we always need to be connected, to know what everyone is doing. If we do not, we almost feel empty and alone, and for some, depressed. I feel a lot of these symptoms from time to time. Certainly, social over-stimulation and the withdrawals aren't the only things drawing us back to Facebook, the societal pressures to be on social media, and to always stay up-to-date has certainly played a factor as well. But is this suggesting that people today are any different than they were 10, 20, 50, 100, or 1000 years ago?

Fundamentally, I doubt it, at least not socially different.We crave interaction with others. We love receiving positive feedback from people. We savor the bonds that we have with one another --> we need bonds to survive emotionally. Humans are meant to social, we are social creatures. Facebook just fills this need, "gives us our fix" per se, but at a much higher level than humans throughout history ever have. Like any substance, Facebook needs to be used responsibly. It should not become a substitute for real world interactions. Facebook cannot simulate the benefits created from physical touch and from being around others; the sights, sounds, and even smells during actual interactions. If a baby is not held that much as a young infant, he/or she will develop emotional issues as they get older. Why would this be any different for when this baby becomes a young child up to an adult? (Besides the difference in physical interaction, you aren't going to or are expected ever hold a full grown human on a regular basis!)

Lastly, before addressing this question, I have one more point --> the habitual aspect of Facebook, getting in a habit of constantly checking Facebook. I have caught myself checking Facebook when I didn't even realize that I was checking Facebook, I was just doing it; it was almost as habitual as breathing had become. This notion can certainly help explain why Facebook may seem so addicting, since we check Facebook so often; is it because we have a craving to do it, or is it just a casual reaction to do it?

So why is Facebook so addicting, aka, why am I so addicted to it? Maybe it's because I am human and crave the social experience. Or maybe it's just because I am bored and have nothing else to do; this excuse is horseshit in this day and age by the way.

As a side note, I have experimented with this notion on a couple different occasions in which I went without using Facebook for a week straight (sounds sooooo horrible, right?). Well I noticed a couple things. The first time I did this little experiment, the first couple days were kind of difficult, but I usually found something else to occupy my time, like read a book, or watch TV, or even do homework. This led me to an idea that I was just using Facebook as something to do, like a hobby. Except with Facebook is that any real productivity is virtually non-existent when using Facebook. At least when reading a book, or playing piano, or doing homework, these activities are relatively productive (especially homework). Facebook... not at all, unless you are using it for networking purposes for you career, or some group promoting a cause (or something of this nature).

The second time I did it, I ended up substituting Facebook with another socializing alternative (online as well). So this test led me in another direction. Instead of simply finding something else to do, I found something to fulfill my social needs (these needs that were being fed previously by Facebook).

Both of these tests have at least suggested that it was not just Facebook that was making me addicted to Facebook, it could have been for a number of reasons. The "social experience" first and foremost probably being the biggest reason, but this was alongside of the habitual notion of Facebook acting as simply something to. The social reason is a harder one to address in certain situations because we do not always have access to other people, or more so, the people we want to socialize with, so using Facebook in those situations isn't that bad, and I would argue that it can be a good thing in those instances (lack of social experiences can be detrimental to an individual, so something is certainly better than nothing).

The other reason I suggested, the reason of using Facebook because it is something to do, should be encouraging to those who want to break their Facebook addiction! You know what the solution is? Find something else to do!!! It's quite simple, really. You just back away from your computer, or phone, or whatever the means you are using to access Facebook, and you find something else to take up your time... It becomes easier the longer you do this.

I can't really think of any more to write about on this topic, but if I do, I will certainly write more about it in the future.

Hope you could take something out of my thoughts after reading this (if you managed to finish it all, haha). If I can suggest any piece of advice, in regards to socializing, is this; you don't have to be socializing all of the time, it is okay to be alone once in a while. Learn to be happy by yourself, and then every experience you have from then on out will be so much more rewarding!

Peace and Love,
-Daryl Simons Jr.