Test claims to detect Facebook addiction

Researchers in Norway have identified six signs that a person may be addicted to Facebook.

They’ve used those signs to develop a test to help you figure out if you suffer from a social media addiction.

The test, called the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale, is based on six basic criteria, where all items are scored on the following scale: (1) Very rarely; (2) Rarely; (3) Sometimes; (4) Often; and (5) Very often.

The signs are:

* You spend a lot of time thinking about Facebook or planning use of Facebook.

* You feel an urge to use Facebook more and more.

* You use Facebook to forget about your problems.

* You have tried to cut down on the use of Facebook without success.

* You become restless or troubled if you are prohibited from using Facebook.

* You use Facebook so much that it has had a negative impact on your job/studies.

If you are, indeed, addicted, you’re not alone, the researchers say.

“The use of Facebook has increased rapidly. We are dealing with a subdivision of internet addiction connected to social media,” said Cecilie Schou Andreassen, who conducted the study.

Ms Andreassen heads the research project, Facebook Addiction, at the University of Bergen (UiB) in Norway. The results of her research were published in the journal Psychological Reports.

The study was based on 423 students — 227 women and 196 men.