Questionnaire: Are You Addicted to Social Networking Sites?

Social networking sites like My Space, Facebook and Twitter can be great resources for staying in touch with friends, but they should never become a substitute for physical interaction with others.

Unfortunately for many people, checking in on social networking sites takes up a lot of their spare time and sometimes can even become a bit of an addiction.

To help you determine if you use social networking sites appropriately we have put together the questionnaire below. Answer "yes" or "no" to each question and then total your answers to determine if you are addicted to social networking sites.

Questionnaire

1. Are you a member of multiple social networking sites?
2. Do you visit your social networking sites with no goal or specific purpose in mind?
3. Are you usually surprised by how much time you spend on a social networking site?
4. Have you ever said no to an activity with your family or friends because of social networking sites?
5. Have you ever ignored a responsibility like homework or chores because of social networking sites?
6. Do you ever stay up late or get up early to spend more time on social networking sites?
7. Have you ever hidden your time on social networking sites from family or friends?
8. Have you ever used social networking sites when a parent or teacher has told you not to?
9. Do you prefer to interact with people on social networking sites rather than face to face?
10. Has anyone ever commented on how much time you spend on social networking sites?
11. Do you have more friends on your social networking sites than you do in your real life?
12. Do you become frustrated or angry when a social networking site goes down or is unavailable?

Are You Addicted to Social Networking Sites?

If you answered "yes" to between one and four questions then you are most likely not addicted to social networking sites. You probably use social networking sites to extend your relationships with family and friends but recognise that keeping up with these sites are less important than strengthening the relationships that exist outside of the Internet. You're likely very choosy about who you are friends with on social networking sites and realise the dangers of allowing strangers to view your personal information. If you continue these patterns you should have no problems with becoming addicted to social networking sites.

If you answered "yes" to between five and eight questions then you may be addicted to social networking sites. For the next week try to write down every time you visit a social networking site and how long you spend on it. If you want to, also include information on what you did while you used the site. You might want to take note of any time someone else mentions your use of social networking sites as well. At the end of the week total your notes to determine how much of your life you really spend on social networking sites. You might be surprised by the results.

If you answered "yes" to nine or more questions then you are likely to be addicted to social networking sites. Your use of these sites is most likely getting in the way of your real life and you may even be using them as a substitute for getting out and making friends, or nurturing the friendships that you already have. Try to wean yourself off of social networking sites by spending less time on them each day, and more time on activities away from the computer. Join a club at school, take up a new hobby, study somewhere without Internet access or organise an activity for your family or friends. With so much going on in your life your enthusiasm for social networking sites will be no doubt soon fade on its own.