COLEGIO DE SAN JOSE

Member: Daughters of Charity-St. Louise de Marillac Educational System E.

Lopez Street, Brgy. Our Lady of Fatima, Jaro, Iloilo City

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Exercise: A Way to Overcome Social Media Addiction among Teenagers

A concept paper presented to

Ms. Sherrah Mae T. Bermudo

By

Chanea Cean G. Serra

January 10, 2022

 Introduction

Social media addiction is dangerous. It is even more concerning when three out of four
teenagers are suffering because of it. It is as life-wrecking as any other addiction and just as
hard to get out of. Compared to adults, teenagers use social media platforms at greater rates
and are more dependent to it. According to a report by Common Sense Media, 51% of teens
visit social networking sites on a day to day basis and one out of four teens are heavy social
media users. The recommended screen time for social media is only 30 minutes but majority of
the youth today spend an average of one hour or more per day. Every time they spend online
makes them more likely to develop mental and physical health-related issues at a young age
than the average teenager.

Unlike other addictions like alcoholism and drug addiction, overcoming a social media
addiction does not require abstinence, only discipline and control. However, controlled use of
social media is expected to be more difficult for teens since the reward region of their brain is
more sensitive at their age. This means that they are addicted to the feeling of success that
they feel every time they receive reactions and comments online from other people. They are
already used to the attention and compliments they get on their social media accounts that it
makes it hard for them to let any of that go. Mental health counselors recommend that people
who have an addiction to social media should go on a social media cleanse. This is an effective
method that can be executed by preventing oneself to visit any social media platforms for a
long period of time, depending on the individual. It can last for up to two hours, a day, or even
a week.

However, social media detox is not enough to help youngsters overcome their addiction
to social media. What they need is for their focus to be directed to something else that is not in
the virtual world but the physical one. Something that can force them to face reality and train
their mind and body to be in control. Combining social media cleanse with exercise is a more
effective way to break the addiction. Encouraging teens with social media addiction to engage
in health-related exercises can easily divert their attention to the present instead of the online
world. It can not only help them overcome their addiction, but also make them physically fit.
According to a recent study on rats, exercising triggers the reward-related part of their brain
that produces dopamine. And since rats and humans share a somewhat-alike DNA structure,
the results of this study is proof that exercising has the ability to control the reward impulse of
the brain and help humans improve their addiction to social media.
Purpose

The purpose of this research project is to help teenagers develop a healthy way to break
their social media addiction and avoid the risk of acquiring several mental-health related issues
that can possibly affect their lives in the present and the future. It is common knowledge that
not every teenager lives in a healthy and supportive household, which explains some teens that
go directly to social media as an outlet for their personal problems. This project takes that into
consideration and provides every teen with the opportunity to change, reflect, and be better
individuals by engaging in physical exercises.

Project Description

This research project was made specifically to help problematic teens with their social
media addiction and combat it by engaging them in health-related fitness exercises. This project
will involve 20 volunteers composed of teenagers from the ages of 13 to 17 who are suffering
from a social media addiction. The casting of the volunteers will only be limited to teens who
reside in the Iloilo province to get a more specific result in one area. The duration of this
project will only be up to eight weeks or 56 days. This is the time needed to observe significant
changes among the subjects of the study and determine the effectiveness of exercising in
mitigating online addiction.

Goals and Objectives:

The general objective of this study is to measure how effective exercise is in helping
teenagers overcome their addiction to social media.

The specific objectives of this study are the following:

1. To prevent teens from developing other addictions such as alcoholism, drug

addiction, and smoking.
2. To prevents teens from developing severe sign of depression, anxiety, insomnia, and
low self-esteem.
3. To give light to the importance of being physically active to gain control and
discipline over one’s own body.
 Methodology

Gathering of volunteers. This study will need 20 volunteers residing in the Iloilo province
from the ages of 12 to 17 who are currently suffering from a social media addiction. Half of the
volunteers will be boys and the other half will be girls. There will be a permit and a contract
given to the volunteers and their parent or guardian for consent.

Casting of a fitness coach. We will look for a credible fitness coach who can entertain 20
people on a daily basis for eight weeks. We will also be providing a contract with terms and
conditions of the project.

Creating an exercise program. Together with the fitness coach, we will work together to
create a simple and effective exercise plan for the teenagers to follow every day. This program
will include cardiovascular exercises and activities to improve muscle strength. This will also
include rest days to avoid injuries and muscle sores.

Finding a venue. We will find an ideal venue in Iloilo province that can allow at least 20
people to perform vigorous activities. That is if the fitness coach is not able to provide a venue
of his own.

Observing volunteers. The volunteers will be accompanied by a researcher while

participating in physical activities on a day to day basis. Their progress will be documented and
checked every week until the end of the exercise program. The changes in their habits and
screen time will also be recorded.

Analyzing data. The recorded data from each volunteer will be displayed on a table along
with the changes observed every week. The results from this analyzation will be used to come
up with a conclusion.

Benefits/Anticipated Outcomes

The main beneficiaries of this research project will be the volunteers since after the end
of this project they are expected to develop a healthy habit of exercising regularly. Other than
that, they will also develop a sense of discipline over their own mind and body which is
extremely helpful in combatting addiction. At the end of this project, the volunteers are
expected to be better and changed individuals unlike how they first started.

Support needed and Costs

For a successful execution of this research project, we will need the support of public
and private schools in the Iloilo province as well as the cooperation of the parents and peers of
the volunteers. As for the cost, the group has decided to have a budget of 15,000 pesos as
payment for the fitness coach and the rent for the venue of this project.
Contact Information

If you have any more questions, feel free to contact me via email at
chaneaceangumbanserra2016@gmail.com. You can also approach me on my Messenger
account: Chanea Cean Serra.