Social media is, in theory, a fantastic way to stay up to date with long distance family and friends, discover new places to explore, or learn tips that make daily tasks easier. With increasingly more presence, accessibility, and utilization, it’s nearly necessary if we wish to remain connected to the world around us. What happens though, when this overwhelmingly powerful  platform lands in the wrong hands, those that are young, impressionable, and susceptible to the dangers held beneath the surface?

In the culture of today, you’d be hard-pressed to find a significant amount of people, especially young people, “unplugged.” With a swipe of a screen or a press of a button, the worldwide web lights up our devices, providing access to all we could possibly hope to learn—and even more we wouldn’t.

The Monolith Menace

In August of 2020 14-year-old Englyn Roberts died by suicide. Her parents, Toney and Brandy, told Sharyn Alfonsi, host of CBS News’ 60 Minutes, they had no idea that the bright and sunny baby of the family, was struggling with depression and thoughts of suicide. It was only after they searched through her phone that they found a simulation video of a woman demonstrating how to hang oneself. A video that according to Brandy, was still circulating online roughly a year and a half after her daughter’s death and was only taken down in December of 2021.

Alexis Spence, now 20, developed depression and an eating disorder at age 12 after Instagram algorithms led her to pro-anorexia accounts from an innocent search for exercise tips. Her parents had given her the phone to communicate with them after school and middle school teachers themselves, had taken precautions by setting up age restrictions and a schedule in which young Alexis was allowed to use her smart phone. In the same 60 Minutes segment, aired earlier this week, Alexis told Alfonsi that she learned “pretty quickly” how to sneak phone use and override the parental controls which ultimately contributed to a downward spiral into dangerous waters.

These stories are just two of the more than 1,200 families pressing charges against big social media companies such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Roblox, and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. According to 60 Minutes, over 150 cases will be moving forward after the start of the new year. All of the companies contacted for the story declined comment.

Evidence That Companies Know Their Influence And Impact On Youth

Last fall, previous Facebook data scientist, Frances Haugen testified in front of a Senate subcommittee that the major social media company actively “…harms children, sows division and undermines democracy in pursuit of breakneck growth and ‘astronomical profits.” A Facebook employee for nearly two years, Haugen’s job was to research how foreign adversaries utilized misinformation that was promoted through the company’s algorithms. Hardly the first ex-employee to blow the whistle on the tech giant, Haugen’s testimony was backed by dozens of research documents she’d copied before she left; accurately coined “The Facebook Files,” these papers proved that Facebook “…intentionally hides vital information from the public, from the US government, and from governments around the world.”

Executives of the company such as Monika Bickert and Mark Zuckerberg himself released statements that the information Haugen provided was taken out of context. The leaked research, however, shows otherwise. In one survey, 13.5% of teenage girls in the UK and 6% in America responded that their suicidal thoughts increased after using Instagram. Another found that roughly 32% of teen girls (presumably globally), or 1 in 3, experienced increased negative body image issues after scrolling through the photo-sharing platform.

According to the Wall Street Journal, over 40% of Instagram’s users are 22 years old and younger with approximately 22 million teenagers logging in each day, placing the app in a high profile, incredibly influential position for young people around the world.

Social Media Victims Center: The Attorney Taking On Social Media Giants

After reading the Facebook Files, attorney Matt Bergman, a product liability lawyer, started the Social Media Victims Center to aid and support families suffering at the hands of social media companies’ negligence. Representing the Spence and Roberts family, as well as the hundreds of other families pressing charges, Bergman told Alfonsi, “Time and time again, when they have an opportunity to choose between safety of our kids and profits, they always choose profits…I’m all for parental responsibility. But these products are explicitly designed to evade parental authority.”

Sometime next year Bergman and his team will begin the process for a federal case against Meta and others. This multi-million-dollar lawsuit, he says, is about more than just the money, but a plea for policy change. At this time, he outlines a three-pronged approach that addresses the lackadaisical, easily evaded age verification, the harmful and unnecessary algorithms, and a better way of ensuring that parents are informed. “Let’s be realistic, you’re never gonna have social media platforms be 100% safe. But, you know, these changes would make them safer.”

Social Media Addiction? Get The Help You Need

Despite it not being listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), research shows a strong correlation between social media use and signs/symptoms of other addictive behaviors. Because it is largely the way of the world and a huge form of communication these days, daily social media use might be normal or expected. Trouble arises when the scrolling and thoughts of the scrolling become excessive and consuming. Add in the influx of influencers and edited material designed to gain traction and attention and it’s no wonder teens in particular experience severe mental health consequences.

If you or someone you love is exhibiting signs of a social media addiction, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. There are resources available to assist you. Learn about online therapy and how it can be used to treat social media addiction, from the comfort and privacy of your own home.

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It was sometime in the 2010s when Fentanyl, a synthetic Opioid similar in color and texture to Heroin, made its way to the streets and to deadly consequence. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has confiscated over 15,000 pounds of Fentanyl this year alone; an amount large enough to kill every American. The biggest concern? It’s no longer an issue of Fentanyl-laced Heroin or other common street drugs like Cocaine, Molly (Ecstasy), or Methamphetamine (Meth). Drug traffickers are now using online modalities such as social media to sell pills of Fentanyl identical in resemblance to prescriptions such as OxyContin, Xanax, and Adderall; otherwise “tightly-controlled” substances.

This means, essentially, that everyone with a smartphone (roughly 85% of the American population) and a connection to the internet has access to the networks in which these bootleg pills are being sold. Federal authorities believe the rise in Fentanyl-laced drugs is due largely to the fact that the substance is easy to transport and difficult to track. “You can fake out your parents, your friends, your partner, law enforcement,” says Joseph Palamar, associate professor and drug epidemiologist at New York University. Unlike Heroin, which is cultivated from the opium-poppy plant, Fentanyl is derived from strictly chemicals and is 50 times more powerful than Heroin. The vast majority of these counterfeit pills have been brought, bought, or smuggled into the country from Mexico where drug cartels are purchasing the necessary ingredients from China.

Mexican Sinaloa Cartel Catering To “US Need” Of Fentanyl

In late October of this year, Mexican authorities intercepted the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the largest and most dangerous drug organizations in the Western Hemisphere, discovering a record-breaking amount of Fentanyl. In this one raid, police found approximately 260 pounds of the substance, estimated to be worth roughly $50 million US dollars.

Former commissioner of Mexico’s Federal Police, Manelich Castilla Craviotto told Business Insider, “If Mexican authorities seized more than 100 kilograms, it means criminals are producing at least several tons.” Fentanyl is both easier to produce than Cocaine or Heroin and is 20 times more profitable because it is easier to smuggle and the user requires only a minuscule dosage to become addicted; cooks are even trained to mix and create Fentanyl “according to US need”— a chilling remark. Craviotto also said, “Today Mexico does not have a policy or campaign to point out the traffickers and the producers. The present administration’s vision is very limited when compared to how things are done in the US,” a fact that makes the drug trade even more dangerous.

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DEA Releases Public Safety Alert

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 100,000 people died from overdose between April of 2020 and April of 2021; an estimated 75,000 of those deaths were due to an Opioid overdose—largely, from Fentanyl. For the first time in 6 years, the DEA has issued a public safety alert on the dangers of fake pills after confiscating more than 9.5 million bootleg pills – an increase of nearly 430% since 2019. Of every fake pill the agency encountered, roughly 40% have contained at least 2 milligrams of Fentanyl: an amount comparable to a few grains of course sand and enough to cause a fatal overdose.

As recently as Thursday, December 16^th, the DEA discovered more than 570 new cases stemming from a single law enforcement surge, linking 39 fatal overdoses. “Social media is the perfect drug trafficking tool,” Anne Milgram, DEA Administrator said in a press conference on that same day. She spoke of cases of young teens found dead after taking what looked like prescribed Oxycodone or other legitimately procured medications purchased online, usually through social media. Drug cartels choose these mediums, Milgram says, for several reasons including the vast accessibility; “[they’re] easy to use, drug traffickers can hide their identities, they can lie about what they are selling, and most importantly, the sites permit the sale of these fake counterfeit pills every day to go unchecked.”

The other issue is that the network of criminal drug activity is completely misrepresenting what it is they are marketing and selling to people. Whether it is deliberate deception on the part of the drug cartels is not clear. “People think that they are buying real Xanax pills, real Adderall pills, real Oxycodone using online platforms that they trust…in reality, they’re getting deadly Fentanyl and pills that look just like the real thing,” Milgram said in the same conference. Hopefully awareness, vigilance, and tightened precautions can lead to a safer, more prosperous future.

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This Tuesday, Instagram debuted a new feature that they think can help to lower social media addiction amongst users. The photo sharing app’s “Take a break” tool was released after facing months of criticism for their child safety practices. The head of Instagram, Andrew Morresi, is set to appear before congress to address the topic on December 8th. 

Social Media Addiction

It is estimated that 10% of people in the US are experiencing an addiction to social media. While there is no medical diagnosis, overuse and compulsive social media behaviors can have negative effects on one’s physical and mental health. Research has shown that using social media can produce a similar dopamine increase to substance use. This chemical, which is associated with pleasure, is viewed by the brain as rewarding. This positive reinforcement is temporary, causing users to return to the app when it wears off. 

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While not everyone who uses social media will form an addiction, excessive use is a problem when it interferes with other aspects of an individual’s life. Negative effects of a social media addiction include:

• Low self-esteem 
• Feelings of loneliness and isolation
• Anxiety
• Depression 
• Disrupted sleep schedule
• Decreased school or work performance 
• Lack of empathy
• Not putting effort into “real life” relationships

What Is Instagram’s “Take A Break” Tool?

Instagram’s new “Take A Break” feature was designed to prevent social media addiction by urging users to close out the app after a set amount of time. Those who choose to utilize this setting must choose between 10, 20, or 30 minutes of use. After the selected amount of minutes has passed, users receive a full screen alert which includes suggested alternative activities. These suggestions include: taking a deep breath, writing something down, checking their to-do list, and listening to a song. 

This latest Instagram tool is available this week in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. The social media company has also said that they are developing other tools to address these issues. They intended on creating a tool that will allow users to delete comments, posts, and previous likes in bulk. Additionally, they are working on an educational hub to provide resources for parents, as well as manage and view their child’s social media use. 

Instagram’s Impact On Young People

In October of this year, a former employee of Meta (previously Facebook) supplied a series of internal documents to journalists. Known as “The Facebook Papers,” these documents revealed that the tech conglomerate had conducted research on how Instagram can impact the teens who use their app. Meta’s data showed that 1/3rd of teenage girls reported that Instagram made them feel worse about their bodies.

One of the insider documents, released by France Haugen, reads, “Comparisons on Instagram can change how young women view and describe themselves.”

Even with the knowledge of the potential damage to mental health and body image, the company had not made any changes to their services or engagement techniques. In response to the whistle blower’s claims, a bipartisan group of state attorney general’s initiated an investigation into Meta. The 11 states involved in this investigation intend on examining how Instagram works to increase frequency and engagement specifically for young people. 

Meta claims that the initial reporting of their data lacked context and did not include important information. They insist that the survey of young girls included 12 issues total and that using Instagram made them feel better in all of the 11 other categories. 

A spokesperson for Meta said, “These accusations are false and demonstrate a deep misunderstanding of the facts. While challenges in protecting young people online impact the entire industry, we’ve led the industry in combating bullying and supporting people struggling with suicidal thoughts, self-injury, and eating disorders.”

The company has also halted the development of a previously announced version of Instagram intended for only children to use. 

Is Instagram Designed For Addiction?

App developer Peter Mezyk spoke with Business Insider on the addictive qualities of social media platforms like Instagram. Mezyk told the site the ability of an app to introduce a new habit is often used to measure its success. Facebook and Instagram encourage habitual use because more time spent on the app increases their ad revenue. Mezyk described attention as currency in this situation. Because of this, it is believed that Instagram and Facebook are deliberately designed to lead to an addiction.

Mezyk also outlined the 3 criteria apps use to cause a habit to form: sufficient motivation, an action, and a trigger. This is called the “three-pronged approach” which is based on the Fogg Behavioral Model. Motivations are the reason users open an app, such as feeling like they might be missing out on something. Receiving a notification, and other triggers, cause users to click on the app. Actions, like tapping the like button, begin the behavioral loop. 

Mezyk believes that apps are mostly designed to be addictive because they don’t prioritize ethics. “The reason some apps are addictive is that most companies first ask themselves how they can make money with them – but ethical app development focuses on the user,” Mezyk said. 

Holding Meta Accountable

This week a group of around 300 scientists from the psychology, technology, and health fields penned an open letter to Mark Zuckerberg. These scientists have asked Meta’s CEO to allow outside researchers in to evaluate potential negative mental health effects from their apps.

It was stated in this letter that the group does not think that the leaked research alone proves the damage caused by Meta. They also wrote that the issues of teen and child mental health are too serious for Meta to withhold their data. 

Instagram’s CEO, Adam Mosseri, will testify under oath in front of congress for the first time this week. This panel, which is a subcommittee of the senate’s Commerce Committee, will be led by Senator Richard Blumenthal. He has said that he intends on asking questions about the app’s algorithms and how they can affect how children engage on the app. The panel is hoping to get Instagram to commit to being transparent about their rankings and recommendations. Executives at Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube have already made a similar commitment. 

In addition to Instagram’s new “Take a break” setting, they have said they want to take a stricter approach when recommending content to teens. They plan to do so by actively suggesting alternative topics when young users have spent too much time viewing any type of content.

While these new measures aim to lower social media addiction, many individuals may still want to consider treatment for social media addiction. If you’re interested in learning more about online therapy options for social media addiction, click here.

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Last week Robinhood made headlines when a surge of stay-at-home traders manipulated the stock market. A forum called Reddit’s WallStreetBets coordinated a massive spike in a few struggling stocks. It caused a buying frenzy on Robinhood that raised $1 billion in new funds. Yet, while people focused on the money made, experts noticed monolithic signs of gambling addiction. 

Is The App Promoting Gambling?

One of the earmarks of gambling is volatility. Some days you win a jackpot, and the next, you could lose $7,000. It is essentially what makes gambling so attractive. Unfortunately, it is a huge problem in the United States. Roughly 1% of adults are battling a gambling disorder, which is why researchers and competing companies are sounding the alarm on Robinhood. According to whistleblowers, the app is using exploitative practices to induce gambling in its users. 

Robinhood’s Design 

Much like gambling apps, experts claim Robinhood uses cues that promote addiction. The behaviors are similar to a gambling disorder. For example, when a new member joins the platform, an image of a digital scratch-off lottery ticket pops up on their screen. The picture is a welcome stub, a gift for joining Robinhood’s community. The app’s stub promises a free share of stock worth anywhere from $2.50 to $200. If the new trader wants the prize, they have to play by ”scratching off” the image like a lotto ticket. 

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At first, the interaction seems harmless, even fun. Yet, Keith Whyte, the National Council on Problem Gambling executive director, warns that Robinhood’s styling has features like common betting apps. He claims it encourages immediacy and frequent engagement. Through its design, Robinhood induces dopamine rushes (pleasure neurotransmitter).

By promising a free yet unknown gift, the company immediately triggers dopamine responses among their new users. The trigger is what keeps them coming back. 

Some of Robinhood’s many alleged dopamine inducing features include:

• Green confetti to celebrate transactions.
• A constant update of stock related articles.
• A colorful, eye-catching interface.
• Emoji phone notifications.
• One-click trading for instant gratification.
• Free stocks in the shape of lottery tickets.
• Waitlists where users can improve their position by tapping up to 1,000 times per day. 

Research indicates that a flow of uncertainty and rewards hooks users. Much like drugs or alcohol, incertitude stimulates the brain’s reward system. Over time this repeated exposure can lead to addiction. Other studies show that volatility can even enhance cravings or the desire for drugs. The market’s waves and Robinhood’s fun interface are keeping users too loyal. 

Manipulating Young Investors With Game-Like Interfaces

Through its charming elements like one-click trading and playful phone notifications, Robinhood has lured over 13 million customers. The app’s simplicity and graphic design make trading feel like gaming. The platform has drawn in young investors by presenting complex financial instruments like a fun game. Unfortunately, financial experts believe that instead of helping users, the app is purposely downplaying trading risks. They suspect it to be a method to get users hooked to their platform.

Inexperienced investors are not actively warned about financial dangers. Instead, the app’s design is drawing them to the riskiest forms of trading like options. The app also highlights more risky investments with dazzling neons like cryptocurrencies. Suppose the app’s founders truly wanted to promote intelligent investing. In that case, they’d encourage safe opportunities like an exchange-traded fund (ETF) instead. Instead, Titan co-CEO Joe Percoco believes investors are being given a, “fast new car, without driving instructions.”

Monetizing Gambling Impulses

The zero-commission brokerage allows you to trade instantly with no minimum deposit. At first glance, the innovative app sounds like it’s helping democratize investing by not charging fees. But many believe it’s a strategy to induce more addictive trading (a source of income for the app). According to filings, Robinhood received $18,955 from trading firms for every dollar in the average customer account. Schwab only received $195 for the same deal. 

The problem with zero commission trading is that it allows users to trade as often as they want. So users can sell or buy the minute their stocks go down or up. This form of trading is correlated with gambling behaviors. Dave Guarino, a product lead at the California Office of Digital Innovation, believes that Robinhood’s goal is not to shift capital gains to everyday people’s hands. He thinks they are monetizing on gambling impulses. 

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The Future Of Its Users

This past week, people caught their first glimpse of the potential gambling issue within Robinhood. For years experts have warned the public about the brokerage’s questionable practices. Like the Titan, co-CEO Percoco noted, “Robinhood is designed and makes money based on clients trading addictively. This is horrific.” Robinhood is drawing millions of users to their platform through a gamification style. By downplaying trading risks, their methods are allegedly encouraging more trades. Overtime, users get hooked and the app makes more money. This dilemma is a severe problem that can lead to a rise in gambling disorders. Hopefully, researchers can get more information on Robinhood’s alleged suspicious practices soon.

If you or a loved one is experiencing gambling addiction and considering treatment options, you can find online therapy resources here.

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In November 2019, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) published a documentary on a suicide network of young women on the popular social media application Instagram. Journalist Annemarte Moland works for NRK, a Norwegian government-owned radio and television public broadcasting company. Moland found the online community when she went to a Norwegian town to do a story on 3 teenage girls who had committed suicide. One of the girls had a private Instagram account where she posted thoughts about suicide and self-harm.

This account was part of a network of over 1,000 similar accounts, where young people could share posts on depression, self-harm, and the desire to kill themselves. The average age of girls in this network are 19. There is an unspoken rule throughout these private accounts: don’t snitch. The network offers friendship and support which draws troubled teens to it, but also encourages them to post extreme self-harming images. The darker the post, the more likes and comments it receives. BBC reporter Catrin Nye spoke to one of the girls in the network, “she feels although the Instagram community could be very supportive, she also experienced people saying things like ‘your cut isn’t big enough.’ She says there was a sense of competition as to who was the sickest,” said Nye.

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The Lifeguard

Twenty-two-year-old Ingebjørg Blindheim is part of the suicide network, but not for the same reasons as other members. The Norwegian woman struggled with an eating disorder as a teen and was receiving in-patient treatment for her mental health issues, along with her best friend. Once released, Blindheim was working towards getting better, but her best friend said if she was sent home, she would kill herself. She followed through with her words and took her own life.

Today, Blindheim is keeping an eye on 450 private Instagram accounts for at-risk teen girls. She monitors the pages for the chance of saving girls like her best friend. When users’ posts on suicide accelerate, she notifies the police to check in. Norwegian journalists have nicknamed her the lifeguard.

Teen Suicide Statistics

So far, at least 15 Norwegian girls from the network have committed suicide. In February 2019, Instagram banned all graphic images of self-harm and restricted content showing suicidal themes, but users still find ways to express their troubles online.

An American study from Nationwide Children’s Hospital found that the suicide rate for girls aged 10 to 14 has increased 3-fold. Previously, females had higher rates of nonfatal suicidal behavior, but are now using more violent measures such as hanging and suffocation. Violent suicide attempts are much more likely to lead to death compared to non-violent attempts.

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Substance Abuse And Suicide

The National Survey of Drug Use and Health surveyed over 2,000 teens aged 12 to 17 who used potentially injectable drugs and had signs of depression. Eighty-two percent of the teenagers reported suicidal ideation, 45% had made a suicide attempt, and 40% had a history of a suicide plan. Of the kids who had a plan, 82% had made an attempt at some point. Teens who struggle with depression while injecting drugs are at a great risk for suicide. Other studies have shown an association between depression and alcohol or general drug use. Teenagers who suffer from any of these issues should receive professional treatment immediately.

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On November 18, the South Dakota Department of Social Services launched a multimedia advertising campaign against methamphetamine, a dangerous and illegal drug which has destroyed the lives of thousands of South Dakota residents. The South Dakota Meth Prevention and Awareness Campaign presents the state’s methamphetamine crisis as a community problem and calls for everyone to work together to solve it. The slogan for the campaign is “Meth. We’re on it.” Perhaps unsurprisingly, these four words instantly prompted a torrent of mockery on social media.

Some commentators on Twitter wondered if South Dakota was trying to advertise meth. Others called the slogan a joke. Even a famous marketing professor, Bill Pearce of UC Berkeley, weighed into the fray, describing the slogan as an example of “poor strategy and poor execution.” The promotional materials for the campaign feature ordinary South Dakotans – an elderly farmer, some high school football players, a man in a coffee shop – alongside the tagline “Meth. I’m on it.” Some interpreted the advertisements to mean that the individuals actually use meth. The domain name of the campaign’s website, onmeth.com, certainly doesn’t clear up any confusion.

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The Meth Crisis In South Dakota

According to the most recent data from the CDC, methamphetamine claims more lives in South Dakota than any other illegal drug. At least thirteen people in South Dakota died as a result of methamphetamine last year. Methamphetamine has burdened many more South Dakotans with debilitating substance use disorders. As in all other states, most of South Dakota’s meth supply originates in Mexico. In 2018, police in South Dakota arrested 3,684 people for possessing, transporting, or distributing methamphetamine, and confiscated about 100 lb. of the drug. Cities tend to be the main targets for drug traffickers. Last year, South Dakota police seized a total of 24 lb. of meth in the Rapid City area, over 20 lb. in Sioux Falls, and almost 1 lb. in Pierre, the state capital. For reference, only 150 milligrams of meth (or 0.0003 lb.) can cause a fatal overdose.

South Dakota’s Governor Defends The Slogan

After “Meth. We’re on it” appeared on billboards and televisions in South Dakota and ignited a national conversation about harebrained marketing, Governor Kristi Noem expressed her support for the campaign. “Hey Twitter, the whole point of this ad campaign is to raise awareness. So I think that’s working…” she tweeted on the 18th. The Governor later described the campaign as “a bold, innovative effort like the nation has never before seen.”

Earlier this year, Noem vowed to reduce the prevalence of meth in her state. She has since requested over $1 million from the federal government to fund addiction prevention programs and supplement federal assistance her state already receives to combat meth trafficking. The domain name notwithstanding, onmeth.com could be a helpful resource for South Dakotans living with a meth use disorder. The website features a directory of treatment centers and support groups for drug addiction.

The Campaign Could Be A Success

The South Dakota Department of Social Services hired Broadhead Co., a Minneapolis-based media firm, to design the anti-meth campaign. The state agreed to pay the company $1.4 million, a price tag which generated substantial criticism on social media. Nevertheless, Social Services Secretary Laurie Gill has insisted the cost is worthwhile for a campaign which stands out from prior anti-drug initiatives.

In defense of its work, Broadhead explained that its vision was to change the culture, not simply to tell meth addicts to get sober. Several professionals in addiction treatment agreed that engaging the whole community is the best way to raise awareness and fight the addiction crisis, so the campaign might have a positive impact. Meth addiction is “a dangerous disease,” said Carol Regier, the director of Keystone Treatment Center in Canton, South Dakota. “I think it’s very good that the state is going to take some action about it.”

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Sugar is a common ingredient in the modern diet. While sugar is safe in moderation, heavy sugar consumption can be harmful. Since sugar physically affects the brain and causes cravings and withdrawal, sugar is also a potential source of addiction. In Singapore, a wealthy city-state in Southeast Asia, excessive sugar consumption is causing high rates of type-2 diabetes, an incurable metabolic disorder. Type-2 diabetes arises from unhealthy weight gain, often the result of high-sugar diets, and the disease can cause a variety of health problems.

Today, Singapore has one of the highest rates of sugar consumption per capita in the world. In fact, the average Singaporean consumes 12 teaspoons of sugar every day. 11% of Singaporeans suffer from type-2 diabetes, and another 14% are prediabetic. To address this problem, the government of Singapore declared a “war on diabetes” in 2017 to reduce sugar consumption and promote healthy lifestyles.

On October 10, Singapore’s Senior Minister of State for Health announced that the Singaporean government will ban advertising for sugary drinks on all media platforms within its territory. Singapore will be the first country in the world to implement such a policy. As Health Minister Edwin Tong explained in a press conference, the marketing ban will apply to print media, television, and the Internet, including social media. In addition to soda, the regulation will affect yogurt drinks, instant coffee, juices, cultured milk, bubble tea, and “three-in-one” drink mixtures that are popular in Asia.

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Colored-Coded Labels

During the same press conference, Minister Tong also announced a labelling program for sugary drinks in Singapore. When the new policy takes effect next year, sugary drinks in Singapore will bear labels if they have medium or high sugar content. Some sugary drinks in Singapore contain as many as five teaspoons of sugar per 250ml. For reference, the World Health Organization recommends that people consume a maximum of only ten teaspoons of sugar each day.

While labels will be mandatory for high-sugar drinks, the Health Ministry will also allow businesses that manufacture and sell low-sugar drinks in Singapore to label them as healthier. The purpose of the labelling program is to inform consumers and encourage people to choose healthier beverages. The Singaporean labelling program for sugary drinks is modeled after similar programs in over thirty other countries. In some of these countries, such as Chile and France, sales of high-sugar drinks fell substantially after they began to carry unhealthy labels.

A Public Consultation On Sugar In Singapore

Last year, the Singaporean government sponsored a public consultation through a survey on four potential policies for reducing sugar consumption. The public consultation occurred between December 2018 and January 2019 and received about 4,000 responses. The advertising ban and the labelling program were two of proposed policies. Over 70% of the respondents supported the idea of an advertising ban and 84% favored mandatory labeling for unhealthy drinks. The other two policies, a tax on sugar and a ban on the sale of high-sugar drinks, were less popular, with 65% of respondents supporting the sugar tax and only 48% of respondents supporting the sales ban.

Minister Tong does not rule out the possibly that the sugar tax and the sales ban may eventually become law in Singapore. After all, Singapore is famous for its prohibitionism, with laws against lighting fireworks, chewing gum, gathering in groups of three in public after 10 p.m., and owning cats in public housing.

“We intend to study them more carefully,” Minister Tong said at the press conference, referring to the sugar tax and the sales ban. “We want to find measures that are sustainable in the long-term, that shape not just market consumption behavior but also on the supply side to drive reformulation.” While representatives of the sugary drinks industry in Singapore accept the advertising ban and mandatory labels, they unsurprisingly oppose the other two measures.

The post Singapore Bans Advertising For Sugary Drinks To Win The “War On Diabetes” appeared first on Addiction Center.

A new study performed by the Flinders University’s College of Medicine and Public Health suggests that young Australian drinkers consume lower amounts of alcohol compared to teens of other countries, all because of wanting to maintain social appearances online. A Flinders University expert on drug abuse noted the social media attitudes Australians have, which contribute to how they present themselves and behave offline. The Flinders University professor noticed Aussie’s drug and drinking patterns and have been considering changes to curb them. The correlation between drinking patterns in Australians sparked discussions in changing their drinking habits.

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Survey Notes Connections Between Drinking And Drug Use

Flinders personnel observed the decline of drinking amongst young Australians. Despite finding lower drinking rates in young Australians, the rate of substance abuse may have been affected; meaning the rates of drug abuse is unknown and is being studied. The results revealed varying ages and levels of employment in the surveyed pool of drinkers. There were trends in stimulant use, such as decreases in cocaine and methamphetamine use. Such studies examine the connections between types of workers and drug use, with attempts to create customized treatment plans where necessary.

How Are Social Media And Alcohol Connected?

Another survey conducted by psychologist at the University of Houston assessed the connection between social media and alcohol use. The question on how social media impacts young drinkers habits revealed a connection between the two factors. Those on social media overestimate how much others drink, especially if they are heavy drinkers themselves. Alternatively, they underestimate how much others drink.

Additionally, those who drink are more likely to befriend others who drink, which can symbolize accepting heavy drinking in social circles. If individuals on social media broadcast heavy drinking, it may influence others who are curious about drinking to do the same. This can be a challenging issue for college students, who are vulnerable to media influences and peer pressure. Currently, 1 in 4 college students in the U.S. struggle with academic problems because of alcohol-related problems. Unfortunately, 1,800 college students die yearly from alcohol-related causes. Similarly to the Flinders University study, many have considered which treatment may be best to fight this problem.

Baby Boomers Also Surveyed

America surveys note increases of binge drinking in baby boomers, and results in the Australian survey has similar statistics. Baby boomers are a leading group of individuals battling with alcohol-related risky behavior. The NCETA research concluded facts connecting elderly populations in Australia and their drinking habits. It has also indicted that the needs of the baby boomer population, as treatment focuses on younger populations.

Strategies for Lowering Drinking

The survey continued to examine both age groups, deciphering which treatment strategies are best for both groups. A recent survey noted rates of alcohol abuse decreasing in Australia. Perhaps this has stemmed from various strategies to lower drinking, such as campaigns and general awareness of the problem. Efforts seemed successful. Between 2001 and 2013 there was a 4.3% to 6% decline of drinking. Individuals aged 24 to 29 years old decreased drinking by 49%, and 14 to 17-year olds by 13%. A final strategy in lowering rates of drinking in Australia has been to increase knowledge of low risk drinking protocols for at-risk drinkers.

The post Young Australian Drinkers Are Notably Selfie-Conscious appeared first on Addiction Center.

Social networking sites (SNS) such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter allow people to be more connected than ever before; however, it’s also causing people to experience more stress than ever before. Known as “technostress,” this phenomenon is a grouping of negative emotional reactions as a result of a “social overload” from social media interactions and content. According to a new study performed by Lancaster University and the University of Bamberg, social media users are actually becoming more and more addicted to social networking sites despite the stress it causes in their daily lives.

Research into the habits of 444 Facebook users revealed that rather than turning off their smartphones or closing the app, users would switch between activities such as chatting to friends, scanning news feeds, and posting updates as each activity began to cause them stress. For example, if someone saw a social media post about underprivileged and starving children in Africa that elicited a sad emotional response, he or she would then turn to a game or chat with a friend on the same app to “get away” from the stress that initial post caused. By doing this, users are not escaping the cause of their stress, they’re actually increasing the stress by continuing use of the social media medium on which it originated. This then leads to an increased likelihood of social media addiction, as these users are spending a greater period of time of the app by using the various elements of the platform.

While it might seem counter-intuitive, social media users are continuing to use the same platforms that are causing them stress rather than switching off from them, creating a blurring between the stress caused and compulsive use.

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Assistant Professor Christian Maier, of the University of Bamberg, who collected data from the Facebook users for the study, attributes this to the wide range of activities that social networking sites offer users: “Because SNS offer such a wide range of features, users can find they act both as stressors and as a distraction from that stress. Even when users are stressed from SNS use, they are using the same platforms to cope with that stress, diverting themselves through other activities on the SNS, and ultimately building compulsive and excessive behavior. As a result, they embed themselves in the social network environment rather than getting away from it, and an addiction is formed.”

The Importance Of Alternative Coping Mechanisms For Technostress

The research team looked at various forms of technostress caused by using social media, such as users feeling that social networking sites were invading their personal life, adapting their social media use to conform to that of their friends, experiencing excessive social demands and too much social information, and facing constant changes and updates to social networking platforms.

The team then utilized and examined two separate ways of coping with the stress caused by social media. The first allowed users to engage in different activities within the same app that was causing them stress, which ultimately contributed to more stress and longer time spent on social media in general. This method was more prevalent among those social media users who used the sites more regularly. The second coping mechanism included users creating a diversion by partaking in activities outside of social media, such as putting the phone down and talking to friends or family about the issues they were experiencing. Unsurprisingly, this method had more overall positive outcomes with users feeling significantly less stressed and spending less time on social media overall.

According to co-author professor Sven Laumer, “We found that those users who had a greater social media habit needed less effort to find another aspect of the platforms, and were thus more likely to stay within the SNS rather than switch off when they needed to divert themselves. The stronger the user’s SNS habit, the higher the likelihood they would keep using it as a means of diversion as a coping behavior in response to stressors, and possibly develop addiction to the SNS.”

Professor Monideepa Tarafdar added: “The idea of using the same environment that is causing the stress as means of coping with that stress is novel. It is an interesting phenomenon that seems distinctive to technostress from social media.”

Researchers are hoping the study will inspire social media users to unplug and turn off their phones when experiencing technostress, and in turn, reduce codependency on social networking sites.

However, if you or a loved one is having difficulty ceasing social media use, you may want to consider treatment. To learn more information on online therapy options for social media addiction, click here.

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The post New Research Shows Social Media Stress Can Lead To Social Media Addiction appeared first on Addiction Center.