[FriedrichN]

Disclaimer: I did not listen to the podcast, I merely skimmed the transcript.

Is 'addiction' to social media the same as an addiction to heroin? No of course not. But it is evident that some people have great trouble to not have it control their life to a certain degree. If addiction is defined as "a brain disorder characterized by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli despite adverse consequences" I think you could argue that some people are addicted to social media. Just because you're not injecting something into your bloodstream doesn't mean it can't be an addiction, many lives are destroyed by gambling addiction for example.

Also from the blurb:

>discover who really has the power to break these supposed “addictions.” (Hint: It’s you.)

It's always you who has to break the addiction. I don't see how this makes it an "addiction" instead of just an addiction without the scare quotes.

[karmakaze]

Very much so. All addictions even the chemical ones are happening in the brain. Whether the condition is present with or without the initial introduction of chemicals is moot.

I'm glad the comments here are quoting addiction to social media rather than technology. If the tech wasn't connected to real people providing input I don't think these people would care.

I'm probably an outlier (though maybe not so much on HN) that I'm more addicted to computers as an extension of myself and can easily go without touching my phone or social media for a day and much less so my PC/laptop.

[visarga]

There are things which were considered addictions and then they became normal and even encouraged behavior, such as reading. Is it a real addiction if it depends on the historical period? Drug addiction doesn't.