Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are becoming prevalent in the lives of many Bakersfield College students.

BC students spoke about how social media sites affect their lives and how addiction may soon become a problem. They discuss how the 10 tips to help social media addiction can be effective for curing social media addiction.

“I have a Facebook, Twitter and Flickr account to stay in contact with friends and to display my artwork,” said Henry Howard, 20.

Howard said that becoming addicted to social media is not difficult to do because most people do not keep track of how much time is spent online.

“I know for myself personally, I can easily spend an hour to two hours on Facebook and not even notice.

“My studies have slipped a little bit because I spend too much time on Facebook or Twitter, but I am trying to keep my grades up and have Facebook and Twitter be less of a distraction.”

Dr. Rob Reiner, of Behavioral Associates in Manhattan, said in an interview with NBC New York that social media addiction could trigger anxiety, envy, and even depression.

“People are insecure and people think there is always something better and now there are more tools to take advantage of it.”

“I feel disconnected from my friends if I’m not on Facebook reading their posts or sharing pictures,” said Gabrielle Tills, 22.

“I can’t imagine my life without Facebook, much less my phone. I would die without my phone,” she said.

Frances Garcia, 48, believes her frequent use of social media has decreased her time spent with family.

“Sometimes I catch myself paying more attention to my iPhone than I do my kids. It’s really sad to admit to yourself that you are addicted to social media,” she said.

Many students even believe that the 10 tips are applicable to their lives.

Kenneth Parker, 35, said that the apps on his phone are a distraction.

“The apps on my phone are an easier way for me to stay connected at all times, but they also cause me to waste my time,” Parker said. “I use them just because they are on my phone.”

“Sometimes you realize how much you miss hearing your friend’s voice rather than texting them all the time,” said Anna Sheak, 44.

Sheak currently has a son attending Fresno State and said she often misses hearing her son’s voice over the telephone.

“I miss hearing my son’s voice and listening to him talk about his day,” she said.

“There is a human element to talking over the phone and hearing someone’s voice.”

Hannah Clark says she thinks limiting your memberships is the best way for avoiding social media addiction.

“I have so many memberships that it is hard to keep track of them all,” she said. “Limiting my memberships would help me centralize my time and mind to just one site.

“My life would also be a lot less stressful with not having to check all of the sites for updates.”

These 10 steps are:

1. Admit you have

a problem

2. Track your time online

3. Remember the telephone

4. Go outside

5. Limit your memberships

6. Use your networks

productively

7. Prioritize

8. Stop procrastinating

9. Remove the cell

phone apps

10. Spend more time with close family and friends