Key points

Problematic social media use (PSMU) is more than a drive to connect with others: It’s an addiction

Frequency of social media use alone is not diagnostic; PSMU is defined by problems with social media.

Many teens trust digital relationships to the point of relying on online AI bots for advice

Problematic social media use (PSMU) shares many features of other behavioral addictions. PSMU was recently reviewed in the official journal of the American Society of Addiction Medicine by National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) Director Nora Volkow and colleagues. They confirm that PSMU’s compulsivity, loss of control, and other behavioral characteristics are similar to substance use disorders.

The addiction-like parallels are supported by brain imaging studies. Functional brain ima

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