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©Advance Educational Institute & Research Centre 

Volume 5, October 2018  
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ISSN 2412 - 3188 
  
 

Sonya Arshad 38 

  

Original Article                                                                                 DOI: 10.29052/2412-3188.v5.i1.2018.38-46 

Social media addiction is a new smoking 
Sonya Arshad, Muhammad Faisal Qureshi, Syed Hasan Abbas Rizvi, Bakhtawar Ferozali, 

Sidra Abdul Majeed, Summaya Khan & Haziq Ajaz 

Liaquat National School of Physiotherapy 

Corresponding Author Email: sonya.arshad@lnh.edu.pk 

Received 14/06/2018; Accepted 17/09/2018; Published 10/10/2018  

 

Abstract 

Background: Addiction is the behavior of a human in which they depend fully on the 

substance. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2015, over 1.1 billion people 

smoked tobacco whereas; over 2.14 billion people used social networks. The objective of this 

study is to assess that is there any similarity between the addiction level of smoking and social 

network usage. Methodology: This is a Cross-sectional study in which 80 participants were 

selected on a convenience based sampling of age 18-25 which were divided into group A 

(social media users) and group B (smokers). Inclusion criteria for Group A were Social network 

user since 5 years with user I.Ds on more than 2 social network sites and check notifications 

every minute however group B includes smokers who were smoking since last 5 years (1 packet 

per day) with no known co-morbid. All participants were asked to fill the questionnaire 

constructed on the basis of the Bergen Addiction Scale (BAS). Blood pressure measurement 

and time required to complete the cognitive task was also recorded. Data analysis was done 

using SPSS version 21. Result: Results showed 30% mild addictors, 30% moderate addictors 

and 40% severe addictors in group A while 40%, 22.5% and 37.5% in group B, respectively. 

According to mean withdrawal effects on cognitive skills, 97.6% participants in group A were 

able to complete task within assigned time before cessation and after cessation only 57% 

participants were able to do so, while in group B 94% were able to complete task before 

cessation and only 72% of participants were able to do so after cessation. Lastly, the mean BP 

reading checked in group A before cessation was 114.54/82.34mmHg and after cessation, it 

increased to 122.47/90.34mmHg whereas in group B, before cessation the mean BP reading 

was 118.32/84.88mmHg and after cessation it was 121.42/88.63mmHg. Conclusion: It is 

concluded that the addiction status of social media users and smokers is almost similar. This 

leads to the outcome that social network abuse is as harmful as smoking on focus, 

concentration, cognitive skills and increment of anxiety and BP. 

 

Keywords 

Social Media, Addiction, Cognitive Skills, Bergen Addiction Scale 

 
Introduction 

According to the American Society of 

Addiction Medicine, addiction is a chief, 

chronic illness of brain incentive, stimulus, 

reminiscence and related circuitry (Kirik et 

al., 2015). A malfunction in these circuits 

contributes to typical biological, 

psychological, social and spiritual 

symptoms. This is seen in a human being 

pathologically desiring remuneration 

and/or satisfaction by substance use and 

other behaviors like the use of social media. 

 

Addiction is represented by failure to 

persistently refrain, deterioration in 

behavior management, lust, abate 

awareness of considerable troubles with 

one’s actions and communal relationships, 

and a debilitated emotional 

acknowledgment. As other chronic 

disorders, addiction can also implicate 

periods of relapse and remission. Addiction 

can be progressive and can result in 

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Annals of Psychophysiology 
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Volume 5, October 2018  
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Sonya Arshad 39 

  

disability if an individual is not treated or 

involve in recovery activities. 

It is necessary to mention Internet addiction 

prior to elaborate social media obsession. 

The Internet is not a cause of addiction by 

its own. Addiction is distinct as the extreme 

use of the Internet that it starts to spoil day 

by day, societal and working life (Kirik et 

al., 2015). With the evolution of being a 

knowledge-based civilization, the practice 

of using the internet has to turn out to be an 

exceptional element these days. Today the 

internet tradition has taken a peculiar 

aspect. The progression that initiates with 

connection then gradually drifts into an 

addiction (Cam & Isbulan, 2012). 

 

According to a study, excessive use of 

Facebook leads to poor impulse control as 

well as emotional regulation. The bunch of 

demands of social networks on the internet 

could possibly be a source for worry, 

mainly when people attempt to waste their 

time online (Kuss& Griffiths, 2011). People 

are usually involved in diverse activities via 

the internet and social media that can 

probably be addictive. Instead of becoming 

addicted to the means as such that is the 

Internet itself, some of them may build up 

an addiction to explicit activities they 

perform online. Researchers believed that 

Facebook can cause addiction-like 

syndrome. They have also proved that 

social networking has the quality of real 

addictions and heavy use of it can add 

different types of addiction (Kuss & 

Griffiths, 2011). 

 

A report verified that youth with substance 

abuse troubles have additional rigorous 

psychiatric symptoms. Like substance 

abuse, Internet addiction has been reported 

to be linked with depression and attention-

deficit–hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) 

(Yoo et al., 2004). Moreover, intense use of 

the internet has more brutal 

psychopathology on the symptoms. It is 

evident from previous literature that the 

changes in brain structure as revealed by 

MRI are caused by substance abuse and 

excessive use of social media (Yen et al., 

2008). 
 

Drug addiction is neuroadaptation within 

the brain reward system throughout the 

progress of addiction, and one ought to 

recognize the neurobiological basis for 

acute drug reward to know how the reward 

systems alter with the growing addiction. 

Activation of the circuit related to the 

genesis and terminal of the 

mesocorticolimbic dopamine system 

occurs due to constructive reinforcing 

effects of drugs dependency. The same 

circuit develops in the progression of Social 

Media dependency (Koob & Le Moal, 

2008). 

 

According to a study, brain anatomy 

inflection in the grey matter of brain 

regions, which are possibly connected with 

social networking addiction and are 

recumbent to anatomical changes. These 

variations are supposed to occur in central 

and essential regions of the dual-system 

which manages behavior, the lacking of 

which is due to addictions. The regions 

include the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc), the 

amygdala, the midcingulate cortex (MCC) 

(He et al., 2017). 

 

Observations based on the number of 

people addicted to social networking, 

discussions regarding the best solution to 

this upgrading problem of society, were 

made by psychologists and therapists. To 

sort out social network addiction of people, 

some remedies were observed which 

reveals that people of social addictors 

should be involved in other physical 

activities like daily exercises, gatherings 

with their mates and people whom they like 

and trust, interacting with people not 

through social network but in real (Kuss & 

Griffiths, 2011). The therapist suggested 

CBT that is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. 

In this therapy, patients have group 

interaction with psychologists and 

therapists to how to improve their daily 

lives (Kuss & Griffiths, 2011). 

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Sonya Arshad 40 

  

 

The main motive of this study is to get 

people to know that even though if they 

don't realize that they are addicted to social 

networking, they are addicted to this kind 

of drug in actual. The aim of this study was 

to compare the addiction level by using 

Bergen Addiction Scale (BAS), Blood 

Pressure Reading and completion of 

cognitive tasks in assigned time before and 

after cessation of the type of addiction in 

people of social networking users and 

smokers. 

 

Methodology 

This cross-sectional study had a total of 80 

participants with age between 18-25 years 

recruited randomly on convenience based 

sampling from LNH. The participants were 

divided into two groups (i.e. 40 participants 

per group), group A (social media) and 

group B (smokers). All participants in 

Group A were the social network user since 

5 years, Accounts on more than two social 

network sites, check notifications in every 

1 minute. While those who were smokers 

since 5 years and those with no known co-

morbid were included in group B. 

Before the start of the study procedure, 

consent was taken from participants. Data 

was collected by means of a structured 

questionnaire based on BAS (Andreassen et 

al., 2012). Blood pressure reading and time 

is taken by the participant to complete 

cognitive tasks were also recorded, before 

and after cessation of at least 3 hours of 

individuals’ type of addiction. 

 

Additionally, both groups were further 

divided into mild, moderate and severe 

addictors according to their answers to the 

questionnaire. Furthermore, mean 

withdrawal effects on blood pressure 

reading and cognitive skills were also 

calculated. The collected data was then 

analyzed using SPSS version 21. Bar 

graphs and tables were used to show the 

comparison between the percentage of the 

population of both the groups related to 

addiction to social network and the 

similarity between the addiction levels of 

both groups. 

 

Result 

Significant results were surmised from the 

collected data as both the groups showed 

almost similar extent of addiction. 

Responses of social network addictors on 

the designed questionnaire showed a 100% 

positive response for question no.1, 92.5% 

reported the daily use of social network 

sites, 60% agreed that their work 

performance was suffered due to social 

networking (Table 1).  

 

 

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Annals of Psychophysiology 
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Table 1: Shows the results of the questionnaire designed for group A based on questions 

related to social media addiction according to Bergen Addiction Scale. 

 

 

Group B results revealed that 70% found it difficult not to smoke in non-smoking areas; 

question no.3 showed 77.5% that they will still smoke when they get ill and 82.5% showed a 

positive response that their work was influenced by smoking (Table 2). 

 

Table 2:  Shows the results of a questionnaire designed for group B was based on 

questions related to drug abuse and smoking according to Bergen Addiction Scale. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Questions related to social media addiction 

Yes  

n(%) 

No  

n(%) 

Present on any social network. 40 (100%) 0 

Present on any other social network site 

rather than facebook and twitter. 

37(92.5%) 3(7.5%) 

Use of Social Media on daily basis. 37(92.5%) 3(7.5%) 

Complain from parents or spouse about 

involvement with social network. 

19(47.5%) 21(52.5%) 

Fights under the influence of social 

network. 

16(40%) 24(60%) 

Work performance and productivity suffer 

due to internet. 

24(60%) 16(40%) 

How much anticipating when you go on-line 

again. 

27(67.5%) 13(32.5%) 

Life without internet would be boring, 

empty and joyless. 

33(82.5%) 7(17.5%) 

Become defensive or secretive when anyone 

asks about what you do on-line. 

15(37.5%) 25(62.5%) 

Lose sleep due to late night log-ins. 20(50%) 20(50%) 

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Annals of Psychophysiology 
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Figure 1: Mean comparison between addiction status of social media users and smokers 

according to Bergen Addiction Scale (BAS). 

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Mild Addictors Moderate Addictors Severe Addictors

30%
30%

40%
40%

22.5%

37.5%

P
e

rc
e

n
ta

ge
s

Social Network Users Smokers

 

Questions related to drug abuse and 

smoking 

Yes  

n(%) 

No 

n(%) 

Difficulty smoking in place like cinemas, 

buses or restaurants 

28 (70%) 12 (30%) 

Smoke more in the morning than during the 

rest of the day 

24 (60%) 16 (40%) 

Smoke even if ill 31 (77.5%) 9 (22.5%) 

Drug abuse with  more than one drug at a 

time 

15 (37.5%) 25 (62.5%) 

Irritated without using cigarette 29 (72.5%) 11 (27.5%) 

Intentionally resist smoking whenever wish 

to or not  

33 (82.5%) 7 (17.5%) 

Spousal (parents or colleagues) complains 

about involvement in smoking 

32 (80%) 8 (20%) 

Family problems created due to smoking 29 (72.5%) 11 (27.5%) 

Lost job due to smoking  20 (50%) 20 (50%) 

Been in fights when under the influence of 

smoking 

28 (70%) 12 (30%) 

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On the basis of scores of questions of questionnaire structured according to BAS, the mean 

comparison between addiction status of social media users and smokers was calculated. The 

results reported that mild addictors were 12(30%) in group A while 16(40%) in group B. 

Moderate addictors were 12(30%) in group A whereas 9(22.5%) in group B. Severe addictors 

were 16(40%) in group A while 15(37.5%) in group B (Figure 1). 

 

 

 
Figure 2a:  Smokers Group 

 

 

 

Figure 2b: Social Network Group 

Figure 2a & 2b: Shows the mean withdrawal effects on cognitive skills after cessation of 

individuals’ type of addiction. Cognitive activities included were quick basic IQ 

questions, video games, task sequencing. 

 

 

 

94%

72%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

B E F O R E  C E S S A T I O N A F T E R  C E S S A T I O N

97.6%

57%

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

B E F O R E  C E S S A T I O N A F T E R  C E S S A T I O N

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According to mean withdrawal effects on cognitive skills, in group A 97.6% of participants 

were able to complete task in assigned time before cessation and after cessation only 57% 

participants were able to do so whereas in group B 94% of participants were able to complete 

cognitive tasks in assigned time before cessation while after cessation only 72% of participants 

were able to do so. Cognitive activities included were quick basic IQ questions, video games, 

task sequencing (Figure 2a &2b). 

 

 

Figure 3: This graph shows the mean withdrawal effects on Blood Pressure Reading 

after cessation of individuals’ type of addiction. 

Lastly, the mean Blood Pressure reading was calculated before cessation in group A was 

114.54/82.34 mmHg and after cessation was 122.47/90.34 mmHg. The mean Blood Pressure 

reading in group B calculated before cessation of smoking was 118.32/84.44 mmHg and after 

cessation was 121.42/88.63 mmHg. These results showed an increment in blood Pressure after 

cessation of individuals' type of addiction (Figure 3). 

 

Discussion 

This study shows that people with smoking 

addiction and social media addiction are 

more or less on the same level of 

catastrophic effects on behavior, cognitive 

skills and blood pressure (Figure 1, 2a, 2b 

& 3). Similar types of studies in which 

scans of the brain have been compared 

between the individuals with social media 

addiction and substance abuse showed that 

both types of dependencies can cause 

adverse effects on brain anatomy and 

morphology (He et al., 2017). 

 

The reward system of brain and dopamine 

circuit system acts similarly in people with 

social media addictors as in people with 

substance abuse. People with substance use 

had more severe psychiatric symptoms than 

those without. These Psychiatric signs 

might also be caused by the onset of 

Internet dependency, and this Internet 

dependency might also precipitate 

psychiatric signs (Koob & Le, 2008). This 

can be related to the study that social media 

addiction has dreadful effects on cognitive 

skills as substance abuse. People start to 

become less focused, tries to get relief from 

social media sources and gradually start to 

become addictive of it (Figure 2a & 2b). 

 

A person becomes addictive of a particular 

thing when he/she wants to distract 

him/herself from everyday stresses of life 

114.54
122.47

82.34
90.34

118.32 121.42

84.88 88.63

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Systolic B.P before
cessation

Systolic B.P after
cessation

Diastolic B.P
before cessation

Diastolic B.P after
cessation

M
ea

n

Group A Group B

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like emotional stress, financial problems, 

lack of interest in the particular job (Table 

1). Now a day, people have more and easy 

access to social media and via this resource; 

they distract their focus from real life to 

virtual life. They get relief for the time 

being from this resource but the progression 

of its dependency ultimately cause 

cognitive problems, anxiety problems 

which can increase blood pressure and 

social isolation. This statement can be 

supported by a previous study which says 

that the Internet can provide social support, 

accomplishment and contentment of having 

power and provides break away from 

emotional and social life difficulty. Thus, 

people with high‐level psychiatric 

symptoms may exploit the Internet to deal 

with emotional grief. Without helpful 

intervention for psychiatric symptoms, the 

utilization of the Internet might develop 

addiction (Koob & Le, 2008). 

 

It is proved that those people obsessed to 

using social media encounter symptoms 

alike to those experienced by those who go 

through from addictions to substances or 

other behaviors (Figure 1, 2a, 2b & 3). This 

has important implications for clinical 

practice because it is distinct from other 

addictions; the aim of social media 

addiction management cannot be entire 

abstaining from the use of Internet as such 

since it is a vital component of today's 

professional and spare time culture. As an 

alternative, the eventual therapy intention 

should be restricted use of the Internet and 

its relevant purposes, mainly social 

networking applications, and waning 

avoidance via tactics evolved within 

cognitive-behavioral therapies (Kuss & 

Griffiths, 2011). 

 

Conclusion 

Our study showed that the addiction status 

of social media users group and smokers 

group was similar, social network abuse is 

as harmful as smoking for cognitive skills 

and blood pressure. As by now, it has been 

proved that social media addiction can 

cause adverse symptoms as substance 

abuse addiction through many sources like 

brain scans, reduced cognitive skills, 

increased anxiety and blood pressure and 

social isolation, further studies could be 

done as to how this addiction can be 

improved, what treatment strategies should 

be used to overcome this type of emerging 

addiction. 

 

 

Conflicts of Interest 

None 

Acknowledgment 

This research was supported by Farah 

Deeba, Deputy Manager of Liaquat 

National School of Physiotherapy. We 

thank our mentors who provided insight 

and expertise that greatly assisted the 

research. We also thank Hira Fatima 

Waseem; Sr. lecturer at Dow Medical 

College for assistance with data collection, 

methodology and results calculation and 

Muhammad Nisar; Sr. lecturer at the 

Physiology Department University of 

Karachi for comments that greatly 

improved the manuscript. 

 

Funding 

None 

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©Advance Educational Institute & Research Centre 

Volume 5, October 2018  
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ISSN 2412 - 3188 
  
 

Sonya Arshad 46 

  

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