Facebook users can become addicted to themselves – expert warns

When you post something on Facebook , are you honestly telling the world how you feel – or are you trying to create a glamorous image of yourself ( and harvest Likes )?People who use Facebook in a ‘ problematic ’ way may actually be fuelling a strange addiction to their own selves , says a University of Derby researchers .

Dr . William van Gordon says that this ‘ ontological’ addiction may constitute a third kind of addiction – after chemical ( drugs or alcohol ) and behavioural ( gambling ) .

Dr . van Gordon said , “ We cement or weaken our ego and belief in selfhood , depending on how much we live out our lives through the lens of ‘ me , mine and I . ’

“ Problematic social media use can cause people to be drawn further into the condition and its associated negative consequences.

“‘For instance , when using social media , people can construct another layer of selfhood that feeds on ‘ likes , ’ ‘ shares’ and ‘ followers’ for its existence, but that does not reflect an accurate portrayal of the individual ’ s true nature.

“ If we interact with social media and technology mindlessly and are used by them , they tend to draw us away from the present moment . ”

Dr van Gordon suggests mindfulness could help those who have been sucked into “ ontological addiction . ”

He says , “ To know whether a person has ontological addiction , they would need to be honest with themselves and investigate the extent to which their ego governs their thoughts, words and actions .

“ For example , when performing an act of kindness , a person could ask themselves whether deep down they are actually hoping for some kind of gain, reward or recognition. ”

( Yahoo News UK )

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