Those who seek social support on Facebook when stressed are more susceptible to Facebook addiction. This, according to researchers at Ruhr-Universität Bochum in Germany.

The research team conducted an online survey of 309 Facebook users between 18 and 56 years old. Participants answered questions related to stress, Facebook engagement, and how much social support they receive on and offline.

Researchers found that participants who didn’t receive substantial support offline were more likely to develop Facebook addiction. When stressed, these individuals spent more time on Facebook and started to feel uneasy when they didn’t have access to the social platform.

The research team says these findings demonstrate the importance of building a reliable support system offline.

Source:

Brailovskaia, J., Rohmann, E., et al. (2019, June). The relationship between daily stress, social support and Facebook Addiction Disorder. Psychiatry Research. Retrieved from https://neurosciencenews.com/stress-facebook-addiction-14098/