This is due to social media being a relief and an ease to new connections and societal pressures.
Researchers have a decision about the type of gender specific activities adolescents are using on the web. Gordon and Small unanimously agree that males have increased odds of acquiring internet social media addiction. They also address that men have longer sitting periods than females using social media such as dating sites and Facebook (Gordon, 2007, Small, 2009).
Most of the research is dedicated to observing the behavior of individuals dealing with overuse of social networking sites. Kaplan discovered that addicts have underlying conditions such as depression, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (Kaplan, 2010). Also, individuals who are addicted to social media demonstrate that high levels of stress are related to internet addiction (Fatayer, 2008). Even though there are negative side effects to internet and social media addiction, it is also beneficial to those who have different brain developments (Yen, 2009). Based upon research for brain development, there is a conclusion declaring that day-to-day exposure to the internet and social media stimulated brain activity and alter the individuals' neurotransmitter release. This association between social media usage and the user could be an addiction, but it can also be considered ADHD.
Researchers have made conclusions regarding social media addiction and general internet use along with gender specific activities and behavioral changes between social media life and real life. Even with the current research about the topic, there are many large gaps remaining. The studies mentioned in this report are very broad and focus on the bigger picture. Studies involving the deeper spectrum of social media addiction require a more narrow focus of online activity. My research will fill in the gaps around the impact of social media in today's generation on whether not this generation, otherwise known as Generation Y, is addicted to social media.