Are Social Networks Messing with Your Head

Is social networking messing with our heads or are we just who we are in any medium put in front of us?
In the article written by David DiSalvo, there are a few areas of personality that are explored as they enter the social media world.
Take, for example, the loner. Does a social networking site make a loner even lonelier? As we find in the reading, loners are not experiencing increased loneliness due to use of social networking sites. In fact, some may even find peace in communicating with who they want, when they want. In addition, those who want to reach out and stay connected with individuals in their lives are able to do so. The bottom line is, who you truly are is portrayed in face to face interactions as well as social networking sites.
If you are a lonely person, you will be lonely in your environment. This holds true for any personality traits. Addressed in the article is the ever loving narcissist who cannot get enough of themselves. Social networking sites grant them an area to shout “look at me, look at me” to the entire world. The definition by DiSalvo states that the narcissists are behaving the same online or offline. There is a “massing numerous but shallow relationships with their own profile definition of number of contacts, glamorous appearance and staged quality to the photo. Certainly these individuals are standouts among the rest since that is their personal motivator.
The question of addiction also arose, like in most social networking articles, at it pertains to the user. Can one be addicted to social networking in the same manner as drugs and alcohol? Absolutely. Again, an individual exists in their own characteristics whether they are online or offline.
Using social networking is an extension of us. It is who we are who we chose to associate with and communication we wish to engage in. Perhaps there are ways to hide behind the screen and portray ourselves in different manner however; our characteristics will always come through.