BEYOND THE SCREEN: EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION, MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS, AND PROCRASTINATION IN YOUNG PAKISTANI ADULTS

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to explore the association between social media addiction, mental health disorders, and procrastination among young adults in Pakistan. A cross-sectional survey research design was employed, with data collected from 231 participants using convenience sampling. Data analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS (Version 20). A range of standardized scales and measures were used to assess the study variables, including the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire, Severity Measure for Social Anxiety Disorder, Perceived Stress Scale, Appearance Anxiety Inventory, Brief Histrionic Personality Disorder Scale, Insomnia Severity Index, and Irrational Procrastination Scale. The findings revealed significant positive correlations among all study variables, with social media addiction showing strong positive associations with depression (r = .54, p < .001), social anxiety (r = .47, p < .001), body dysmorphic concerns (r = .41, p < .001), histrionic personality tendencies (r = .33, p < .001), insomnia (r = .43, p < .001), and procrastination (r = .48, p < .001). Furthermore, significant differences were observed across time-based usage groups, with individuals spending 6–8 hours per day on social media reporting the highest levels of psychological distress and addiction. Overall, these findings contribute to the growing body of literature on the complex relationship between social media use and mental health, highlighting that psychological risk is shaped not only by the amount of time spent online but also by the patterns, intensity, and purpose of social media engagement.