The selfie craze is not just confined to younger people. It seems people of all ages have become obsessed with taking selfies. Many people who take selfies edit and perfect photos with filters, lighting, or Photoshop. People are even seeking plastic surgeons for imperfections that make them perfectly human, but not good enough in theirs (or others’) eyes online. This can have damaging effects on recovery from addiction. Find out how you can fight back against selfie obsession.

Addiction to Perfection

Many people who struggle with addiction to taking selfies and posting online may struggle in other areas of their life with addictive behaviors. It may also become an obsession that starts as a hobby in recovery because you are looking for other ways to spend your time and energy. Some signs that you may be giving too much time to taking selfies and putting your recovery at risk:

  • Putting yourself in risky situations to take a selfie
  • Spending more time online and losing track of time flipping through social media
  • Endlessly trying to capture the perfect photo but never being able to achieve it
  • Feeling anxiety or stress rise when going online or trying to take a selfie
  • Feeling isolated or dropping friends to keep pursuing selfies

Risks of Selfie Obsession

If you are on the search for the perfect selfie, you may not even realize this is not possible. Perhaps you have lost friends, your health, and nearly your life trying to get a selfie. You may even have been changing friends or habits to pursue taking more selfies. Addictive behaviors can transfer to other things, but they can also be a way of not focusing on what you need to do in order to be healthy in recovery.

Putting recovery at risk for selfies or any other social media aspects can be detrimental to mental and physical health. Recovery should be at the forefront of your lifestyle. Some things can get in the way of that because that is what happen sometimes. If you or a loved one notice social media is getting in the way of being present and focused on the here and now, it may be time to seek professional help for addiction to social media. It may also linger and become an obsession with body image, which should also be looked at so you or a loved one can learn to function better in recovery. There is no shame in asking for help when you need it.

The Springboard Center’s addiction treatment programs are tailored to meet the needs of each client. We help you find what you need to support a healthier recovery from addiction. It is important to recognize that many of our services offer a group setting and environment, so that the client spends time with other people affected by the same chronic disease and problems. 432-620-0255