The person addicted to alcohol for example loses control over its use.
The other component of addiction is the fact of dependence to the substance of abuse.
Without heroin, the person feels abnormal and gets withdrawal symptoms.
My boss recently commented that I am often on social media and warned me about being influenced by online trends, but also added that I should always put work first while in the office. However, he does not have a problem with my work in general. I really feel out of touch if I don’t get into social media once every hour. Should I worry about this?
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Your question raises a number of issues that, on close examination, seem contradictory or confusing.
On the one hand you tell us that your boss has no problem with your work and on the other you tell us of his warning you about being influenced by online trends.
One of the questions crying out for answers relates to the fact that your boss has expressed concerns about you being influenced. Because this comes by way of a warning, it is possible that the boss is not telling you all that is in his mind and there could well be more in his concern than you are able to perceive at this stage. Are you sure you understand him?
If for no other reason, it would be wise not only to take note of the expressed concerns but to look deeper firstly into yourself but also into the general relationships you might have at the work place.
Starting with you, have you considered the possibility that you are indeed addicted to social media and that your boss is worried about you and your health in general? Do you have other behavioural problems?
To help you understand, let us look at some common features of addiction, which apply, whether one is thinking about addiction to alcohol, heroin, sex or even bhang.
In addiction medicine, we first of all look at the compulsive nature of the act of addiction. The person addicted to alcohol for example loses control over its use. His consumption of alcohol is no longer under his control, and he has no power to decide whether to drink or not. The totality of his being and existence is taken over by the alcohol. It is for this reason that lectures by well meaning parents, spouses, priests and doctors fall on deaf ears. In this sense, addiction is a true disease and not a fact of loss of will power. How much control do you have over your use of social media? Do you even feel compelled by an inner force to sign up?
The other component of addiction is the fact of dependence to the substance of abuse. A person addicted to heroin for example feels “normal” only when he has taken it. In a sense, his body has changed fundamentally and he feels well only when he is full of drugs.
Without heroin, the person feels abnormal and gets withdrawal symptoms. When he gets symptoms of withdrawal, he must get a “fix” to feel normal. For the heroin addict, the features of withdrawal are self treated by either injecting or taking a sniff of heroin.
For the removal of doubt (and to be strictly correct), let me state that the only addictions recognised by specialists are drugs and gambling. There is, however, extensive use of the term in lay language and addiction to social media is a commonly applied term.
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