EXPLORING THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTS: A QUALITATIVE

STUDY

A Research Paper Presented to the Senior High Faculty of

Kapalong College of Technology Inc.

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for

Practical Research II

BAJAO, STEPHANIE

CARAS, NEHEMIAH DAVID

DOLIENTE

DUMALAOG, DANIELA

GANAL, ALLEAH JEAN

LOZARITA, MARIA CARLA

UDTOHAN, KOBEBRYANT

March 2024
 THE PREVALENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION HAS BECOME A GROWING

CONCERN IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY WITH THE WIDESPREAD USE OF PLATFORMS

SUCH AS FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, AND TIKTOK. INDIVIDUALS ARE

SPENDING INCREASING AMOUNTS OF TIME ENGAGING WITH SOCIAL MEDIA, OFTEN

TO THE DETRIMENT OF THEIR MENTAL HEALTH, RELATIONSHIP, AND OVERALL WELL-

BEING. THIS STUDY AIMED TO EXPAND AND INFORM THE EMERGING BODY OF

RESEARCH ON THE NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES OF SOCIAL MEDIA USE AMONG YOUTHS

AND HOW YOUTHS DEAL WITH THEN, IN AN ASIA SETTING, USING A QUALITATIVE

APPROACH. UNDERSTANDING THE LIVED OF SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTS IS CRUCIAL

FOR SEVERAL REASONS . FIRSTLY, IT CAN HELP IDENTIFY COMMON TRIGGERS OR

PATTERNS THAT LEAD INDIVIDUALS TO DEVELOP ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS TOWARDS

SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. BY EXPLORING THE UNDERLYING MOTIVATIONS AND

PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESSES INVOLVED. YOU CAN GAIN A DEEPER

UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROOT CAUSES OF THIS ADDICTION AND INFORM

INTERVENTIONS OR TREATMENTS TO ADDRESS IT EFFECTIVELY. ADDITIONALLY, THIS

STUDY CAN SHED LIGHT ON THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION ON VARIOUS

ASPECTS OF INDIVIDUALS’ LIVES,INCLUDING THEIR MENTAL HEALTH, SOCIAL

RELATIONSHIPS, PRODUCTIVITY, AND SELF-ESTEEM. BY HEARING DIRECTLY FROM

THOSE WHO HAVE STRUGGLED WITH SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION, WE CAN GAIN

INSIGHTS INTO THE CHALLENGES THEY FACE, THE STRATEGIES THEY USE TO COPE,

AND THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO OVERCOME THIS ADDICTION AND LEAD

HEALTHIER, MORE BALANCED LIVES. ULTIMATELY, THE FINDINGS OF THIS

QUALITATIVE STUDY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO INFORM POLICYMAKERS, MENTAL

HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, EDUCATORS, AND TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES ABOUT THE

COMPLEXITIES OF SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION AND THE NEED FOR TARGETED

INTERVENTIONS AND PREVENTION STRATEGIES. BY AMPLIFYING THE VOICES OF

SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTS AND SHARING THEIR STORIES, WE CAN RAISE AWARENESS,

REDUCE STIGMA, AND PROMOTE A MORE INFORMED AND EMPATHETIC DIALOGUE

AROUND THIS PERVASIVE ISSUE IN TODAY’S DIGITAL AGE.