The Selfie Syndrome [Infographic]

The selfie syndrome is something all of us (or at least the ones active on social media websites) have witnessed first-hand. Selfies have quickly become an obsession, and even celebrities are getting in on it.

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What Are Selfies?

Some might see the need to clarify, so let’s go ahead and do that first. After all, ‘selfie’ is now a word in the Oxford English Dictionary, and was even the word of the year for 2013.

A selfie is a self-portrait photograph, typically taken using a handheld camera of some sort and then uploaded to a social media website.

You May Have Selfie Syndrome Too

Unlike other conditions with the word ‘syndrome’ attached to them, selfie syndrome is easy to spot. Constantly taking selfies can flood your friends’ newsfeeds, but the real problem is how it might affect you.

Psychologists have identified selfies as a way for people to seek validation. Teens and adults alike use selfies to reach out to the masses and get their approval. But this can turn ugly when it leads to cyber-bullying, or even when you get too much positive validation – as it can result in unhealthy self-obsession.

The Link Between Selfies And Narcissism

Being preoccupied with yourself isn’t a psychological condition per se. But it’s important to identify whether or not you’re becoming more narcissistic than you’d like to be.

Taking too many selfies is a sign of narcissism and can also lead to you replacing real life interactions with those on social media.

And narcissistic personality disorder is the next stage of narcissism, where seeking gratification can start becoming more of an obsession than an occasional indulgence.

Are you a victim of selfie syndrome too? Maybe it’s time to put down your smartphone and appreciate the real world.

Source: BestComputerScienceSchools.net