I scored 3 out of 9 on the Social Media Disorder (SMD) Scale which indicates that although I display signs of problematic social media use (persistence, deception, and escape), I do not reach the threshold for disordered social media use (5 out of 9).

As for the items on the scale itself, these are modeled on DSM-5 addiction criteria that assess compulsive use, withdrawal symptoms, and social consequences. Although that scale helps identify trends in problematic use, some of the items (such as using social media to escape) could pertain to many users without indicating a disorder.

Cultural and societal factors have a big impact on differences across the world. In certain countries, social media is integrated into work, education, and communication, making higher usage more socially acceptable. In some, overuse could be considered a bigger problem because of different family dynamics, internet access, or societal norms around technology. These disparities may also help explain why some areas have higher or lower rates of disordered use of social media.