Fixation with getting photographed is not new. From canvas to digital media, through the ages people have taken a great interest in getting ‘framed’. Selfie, the new age term for clicking one’s photograph, has become very popular among the masses, so much so that in 2013 the Oxford Dictionary declared it as the word of the year.
However, while the proliferation of smartphones has made selfies easier and convenient for the people, it has also produced a new kind of addiction.
Psychiatrists feel that when selfies become part of your daily routine and take up more time than they should, it could be a sign of a deeper underlying issue.
SELFIE-HOLIC
In a recent case of selfie addiction, a 19 year old Mumbai resident was brought to Fortis hospital to meet Psychiatrist Era Dutta as her parents found her spending more time with her mobile. The girl, after talking to the doctor realised that she had turned into chronic selfie clicker and felt impatient if she didn’t click one. She also admitted to getting upset and depressed on getting bad comments on social media on her selfies.
Dr. Era Dutta, consultant psychiatrists with Fortis Hospital, has termed this behavior as a soft addiction or behavioural addition. Behavioural addictions are defined as compulsion to repeatedly perform a rewarding non-drug related behaviour.
