[vc_row thb_divider_position=»bottom»][vc_column][vc_column_text]The article analyzes the personal causes and psychological consequences of mental illness of self. The author analyzes and comments on the concepts of colleagues from Britain, America and the Czech Republic. The article provides recommendations for parents. At the end of the article there is a Self-Dependence Scale for self-diagnosis.
(translation by the author)
Currently, social networks occupy enough space in the life of a modern person. The ability to communicate with people located in different corners of the planet, in its own way carries away. Gradually new communication languages are created and formed, for example. sending photos to each other with different meanings without text. Separately, we note the language of emotions, the function of which is performed by colorful emoji.
For one category of users, a social network is a budget advertisement, promoting its own product, for other groups, simple communication and a remote opportunity for knowledge. But there are those who are constantly in search of a positive assessment of their personality. As a rule, these are people with deep dissatisfaction and infantilism, who come to the rescue of social networks, where they try to compensate for their insecurity by broadcasting false values.
Selfimania is a recognized mental illness called Selfit. This is a form of mental illness expressed by: infantile behavior, low self-esteem, deep dissatisfaction. As a rule, carriers of the diagnosis tend to change jobs frequently, are demonstrative and are in constant search of social approval. With this point of view, the editor-in-chief of the resource www.zdravotnickydenik.cz associate professor L. Hamplová is also in solidarity. Although the term “selfitida” is used in the Czech Republic, it does not change its meaning.
Referring to the publication of the Daily Health Post dated 06/20/2018, we note that in 2017 the word “selfie” became the main word of the Oxford English Dictionary. This indicates the popularity and relevance of this concept in the modern world.
In 2014, the American Psychiatric Association classified the definition as a regular mental illness.
In turn, the British Royal Academy of Psychiatry, represented by Mark Salter, expresses a skepticism about the definition we are studying. From the point of view of M. Salter, the diagnosis “selfie” does not exist and cannot exist due to the fact that it is not a mental illness.
“The desire to summarize in one word, a complex behavioral complex, is not safe because in reality it may turn out to be something else., Comments Mark Salter.
In 2017, scientists from the University of Nottenham together with colleagues from the Indian University of Madura came to the conclusion that this mental illness has an obsessive nature. It should be noted that Mark Griffiths, professor of addictology at the Department of Psychology at the University of Nottingham, stated that they have already developed and published a scale for measuring the level of selfie-dependence in the journal International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction.
Speaking about this problem of our time, it is necessary to differentiate the expressed features of both genders:
Women’s selfies (in the first place which is a demonstration of external data, in the second social)
Men’s selfies (in the first place social topics, after external data)
The nature of this disease returns us to childhood, when in adolescence the mechanism of acceptance of ourselves, of our body did not work. As a rule, this is expressed in teenage dissatisfaction with their appearance: full, thin, with freckles or with a big nose, all this is defined by the term dysmorphophobia. This behavior is due to the lack of an “image of the father” who loves and accepts his daughter as she is. Similarly, this works when a boy is brought up in a family.
It becomes obvious that well-built social roles in a complete family take a dominant place in raising a child. It is important that the child gets a positive picture of himself within the family and that is when a healthy life position can be formed in him: «I am good, you are good.» ) E. Berne)
If the indicated conditions are not met, the adolescent begins to experience self-doubt, doubt his appearance, imitate the «adult world», and feel the need for social approval.
Over time, this complex of problems is transferred to adulthood and worsens. Often, such people do not know how to say no because of fear of condemnation, they often do what is convenient for others by sacrificing themselves. Being unsure of themselves, they are compensated on social networks, where the price of public attention is expressed in likes. The more likes, the higher the level of personal self-esteem and acceptance.
This behavior model has a competitive nature: the more likes, the higher the level of claim, which is simply not enough in real life. The desire to surprise the public and get the most likes brings these people to the roofs of houses, arrows of construction cranes. Low self-esteem — attracts a person to the edge of a cliff and from this minute, the disease takes on a chronic form.
The effect of any dependencies is the same, including the one we are studying:
Borderline sylphite; (photographing yourself 1-3 times a day)
Acute form; (at least three photos with you per day and mandatory posting in social networks)
Chronic form; (photo at any convenient time with subsequent publications on the network.) If there is no Internet, a condition similar to breaking begins: a search for reasons, anxiety, searches for institutions with wi-fi, etc. are possible.
Summarizing the above material, it should be understood that some time will pass and new forms of dependencies generated by the development of modern technologies will become known to mankind.
In this regard, once again we formulate some recommendations for parents:
Remember that a child’s self-esteem will form when adults understand and begin to respect the rights of a small person;
The child should regularly receive feedback from parents on their actions:
I thank you for not stopping me from talking on the phone;
You’re doing great to help me put things in the closet;
You are great for helping your mom wash the dishes; (for son)
Do not hesitate to develop in the family the habit of talking with the child from the position of a “dialogue”, rather than moralizing;
Reflect on the alarming contrast between the radiant mind of a healthy child and dementia of an average adult level.
Sigmund Freud
Selfie addiction rating scale.
Authors: prof. M. Griffiths) and other.
Source: International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction
Translation: V. Shestakov
Instruction manual
Evaluate each of the following statements using the values:
(1) — strongly disagree; (2) — do not agree; (3) — neutral; (4) — I agree; (5) — strongly agree;
Selfie makes me feel good, I do it more often than my peers.
Selfies provide adequate competition with my friends and colleagues.
By publishing selfies on social networks, I get exceptional attention.
With the help of selfies, I reduce the level of stress.
When I use selfies, I feel better.
I accept by users of the network when my finished selfie is posted on social networks.
Selfies make it easier for me to express myself.
My social status increases when I use different selfies.
I feel more popular when I post my selfie on social networks.
A large number of selfies improves my mood and makes me happy.
When I use selfies, my self-esteem goes up.
Thanks to selfies, I am the strongest among my peers.
Thanks to my selfie, I better remember this situation.
I often post selfies on social networks to get more likes and comments.
I look forward to my friends’ ratings when my selfie is published.
Publishing a selfie instantly changes my mood.
I regularly review my own selfies because it enhances my self-esteem.
If I don’t post a selfie, I feel a distance from my peers.
Publish a selfie as a trophy of future memories.
I use photo filters to always look better than the rest.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]