The Dark Underbelly of Social Media Addiction and its Consequences: A Narrative Review of the Allure of Online Likes

Background: In the modern era, social media has transformed how people connect, communicate, and assimilate information. However, as social media use becomes increasingly global, concerns have been raised about its negative impact on mental health and consequences such as behavioral addictions. This narrative review aimed to uncover the possible implications of users' obsession with social media and how it affects behavioral addictions to examine the factors contributing to social media obsession and explore the impact of social media addiction on mental health with the underlying causes of compulsive behaviors.Methods: This narrative review was conducted using multiple databases, employing specific keywords related to social media addiction, obsessions, online likes, self-presentation, and psychological effects. A total of 71 papers were selected according to the inclusion criteria, and finally, 11 were retrieved. All the English qualitative and quantitative studies from 4 April 2011 to 14 April 2022 were included. The relevant studies were ultimately selected with the aid of peer review.Results: The findings showed that gender and age differences influence social networking use. It is worth noting that users often alter their online images and feel worse after comparing themselves to others. Getting fewer likes can make teenagers feel rejected, especially if their peers have victimized them in the past. Besides, the use of social media by adolescents is connected to symptoms of depression, poor sleep, and comparing themselves to others, showing that it can have complex effects on mental health. However, the literature also indicates that social media improves communication, customer management, and engagement, in addition to providing significant learning opportunities.Conclusion: This study emphasizes the need for personal responsibilities, focusing more on core connections rather than hits, likes, and popularity. While social media can be an influential tool for connecting, maintaining relationships, and empowering individuals, an attentive and critical approach is needed to avoid its potential downsides. Excessive use and easy access to social media are more likely to develop an addiction to popularity, self-objectification, and mental illness.