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Facebook Addiction Disorder - On the Rise in 2016?

Tuesday 5 January 2016, 2:00PM

By Jack Marcus

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In recent years there has been much speculation – and controversy – about the potential for an officially recognised 'Facebook Addiction Disorder.'

This has been proposed as an offshoot of the – also controversial – 'Internet Addiction Disorder,' which was offered for inclusion in the latest edition of the DSM – the diagnostic Bible of the psychiatric profession.

Both Facebook addiction and Internet addiction have been rejected from official recognition so far, with detractors arguing that these are simply symptoms of other underlying conditions such as depression and chronic anxiety.

Many counselors, therapists and other clinicians beg to differ, arguing that these addictions function similarly to gambling addiction – the only behavioral addiction currently included in the DSM. Experts working in other fields, such as sex addiction, have continually run up against the same problem when trying to have their specialty recognised by the wider medical community.

While the experts battle it out, anecdotal evidence continue to indicate that more and more people are highly dependent on Facebook – and that it may correlate strongly to a lower quality of life.

Multiple studies have now drawn a link between heavy Facebook use and lower self esteem, especially among girls, who tend to be the most likely to compare themselves physically to their friends online.

Sites like HowtoQuitFacebook.com are leading the charge on raising awareness of the problem and providing applicable advice for people who find themselves suffering from compulsive Facebooking.