Are you Healthy Enough to find Facebook More Addictive Than Cigarettes?

Health

Speculation procures about the health side effects of spending too much time on the computer. Beyond arthritis and, arguably, eye damage, there are few other things that particularly impede your health when it comes to the computer. Not all of them fully explored and are still being studied. Yet cigarettes and alcohol are notoriously unhealthy. A recent study shows that social media and email may be more addictive than cigarettes and even alcohol. So I ask- are you healthy enough to choose Facebook over a nice cool beer?

The health study done by Chicago University’s Booth Business School took 205 individuals between ages 18-85, and had them document, in detail, their urges throughout the weeks. The number one urge was sleep, which came as no surprise. But following closely behind this was hunger, checking email, and visiting their favorite social media website. Behind these was drinking alcohol and smoking a cigarette.
Speaking to the Guardian, lead researcher Wilhelm Hofmann said:

“Desires for media may be comparatively harder to resist because of their high availability and also because it feels like it does not ‘cost much’ to engage in these activities, even though one wants to resist.”

This health trend is alarming but also intriguing. On the surface, this study reveals something inherent in modern day society- Facebook rules. But it is also a health trend that is curiously positive. In light of the study, is it really that bad that people would more often choose a Facebook status update over a beer? The detrimental qualities of alcohol are a little more transparent. Liver disease, quicker aging, some time in jail, etc… Cigarettes are even more so, so commonly known it’s silly to list them at all. But the health side effects of spending too much time on Facebook and email is a little more blurry. Also consider that “too much” isn’t really defined and differs extraordinarily for every person, you have a formula for an intriguing and possible beneficial health trend.

But this should not be revolutionary news. The cost of enjoying Facebook is muddy, as opposed to alcohol and cigarettes that have a very tangible cost. Other than internet costs, there is not a tangible cost to too much time on social media. Even further, there is not an established negative to doing so either, or at least one as culturally blatant as “throat cancer.”

Of course, the withdrawal systems are significantly different. Cigarette withdrawal is infamously difficult, and often requires outside help. Companies will bank on your inability to physically resist. They devise patches and such to stream the nicotine from your system. Alcohol withdrawal in particular can be deadly, and in severe cases, may need the help of a medical doctor. The withdrawal symptoms for a lack of email are significantly less impacting. It is hard to imagine a scenario where someone physically wretches without checking their Gmail account.