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Salience

🧠

How much time you spend thinking about social media or planning your next session. It is the first sign of addiction — social media has become the mental center of your day.

Tolerance

📈

How much you want to use social media longer and more often. Needing more time to get the same satisfaction is a core feature of addiction.

Mood modification

Mood Modification

😌

How much you use social media to escape personal problems, stress or bad feelings. The more you lean on it to regulate emotion, the harder recovery gets.

Relapse

🔄

How often you have tried to cut back and failed. Losing that control is a core indicator of behavioral addiction.

Withdrawal

😰

How restless, anxious or on edge you feel when you cannot use social media. Physical and emotional withdrawal is an important clinical criterion.

Conflict

⚡

How much your social media use has hurt your studies, your job or your relationships. This is the stage where addiction does real damage — the clearest problem signal.

Social worry

Social Anxiety FoMO

😟

How much you worry that other people or your friends are having better experiences than you (Q1-4, up to 20 points). This is the emotional core of FoMO, tied to self-esteem and social comparison.

Fear of missing out

Missing Out Fear

🚪

Fear of missing your friends’ gatherings, stories and opportunities (Q5, 7, 9 — up to 15 points). Tied to the need to keep social ties intact.

Compulsive checking

Online Compulsion

📱

The compulsion to keep checking and sharing what is going on through social media (Q6, 8, 10 — up to 15 points). This is the dimension most directly linked to actual social media use.

Very rarely

Almost never

Rarely

Occasionally

Sometimes

Fairly often

Often

Frequently

Very often

Most of the time

Not like me at all

Strongly disagree

Not really true

Disagree

Average

Moderately true

True of me

Agree

Very much like me

Strongly agree

You spent a lot of time thinking about social media (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, X and the rest) or planning your use of it.

You felt an urge to use social media more and more.

You used social media to forget about personal problems or stress.

You tried to cut down on social media without success.

You became restless or troubled when you were unable to use social media.

You used social media so much that it had a negative impact on your studies, your job or your relationships.

You spent a lot of time thinking about social media (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, X and the rest) or planning your use of it.

You felt an urge to use social media more and more.

You used social media to forget about personal problems or stress.

You tried to cut down on social media without success.

You became restless or troubled when you were unable to use social media.

You used social media so much that it had a negative impact on your studies, your job or your relationships.

I fear other people are having more rewarding experiences than me.

I fear my friends are having more rewarding experiences than me.

I get worried when I find out my friends are having fun without me.

I get anxious when I don’t know what my friends are up to.

It matters to me that I understand my friends’ memes and in-jokes.

Sometimes I wonder whether I spend too much time keeping up with what’s going on through social media.

It bothers me when I miss an opportunity to meet up with friends.

When I have a good time, it matters to me to post the moment on social media.

It bothers me when I can’t make it to a get-together I had planned on.

Even on vacation, I keep tabs on what my friends are doing.

Healthy use

Low Risk

Your social media use looks healthy

Over the past year your social media use has stayed in a healthy range, with none of the addictive features (low risk). Social media isn’t running your day and your self-control is holding up. Stay with the habits that are working — watching your screen time, managing notifications, protecting offline hours.

6-11 points · Healthy use (low risk)

Mild · Worth watching

Mild

Your social media use is worth paying attention to

Over the past year social media has started to push into your daily life (mild). It isn’t serious yet, but left alone it can progress to the moderate range — start with the basics: track your screen time, strip back notifications, set social-free hours.

12-18 points · Worth watching (mild)

Moderate · Time to manage it

Moderate

Your social media use needs active management

Over the past year your social media use has shown clear addictive features (moderate). You are above the 19-point international threshold from Cheng et al. (2021), so structural changes are needed — screen time, notifications, account cleanup. If depression or anxiety is in the picture, manage that alongside.

19-23 points · Time to manage it (moderate)

High risk · Professional help recommended

High Risk

High risk for social media addiction

Over the past year your social media use has reached a high-risk level where clinical intervention is warranted. You are above the international clinical cutoff of 24 (Cheng 2021), which makes problematic use of social media likely. Consider help from a psychiatrist, or the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 — free, confidential and available 24/7.

24-30 points · High risk (clinical cutoff)

Low FoMO

10-19 points · Low FoMO

Almost no worry about missing out — a stable place to be. You have the psychological room to focus on your own life.

Moderate FoMO

20-29 points · Moderate FoMO

You occasionally mind missing what other people are up to. Most people land in this range.

High FoMO

30-39 points · High FoMO

Worry about missing out is clearly present and has become a psychological motive driving your social media use. That carries a risk of addiction.

Very high FoMO

40-50 points · Very high FoMO

Worry about missing out is very strong. It correlates heavily with social media addiction, anxiety and low self-esteem, so the psychological driver is what needs attention first.

Typical range

In good shape

Both your use and your state of mind are steady

Over the past year both your social media behavior and its psychological driver (FoMO) have stayed in the stable range. Social media isn’t running your day, worry about missing out is low, and you have the balance to focus on your own life.

Combined 0-34 · Typical range

Mild · Worth managing now

Worth managing now

Either your use or your state of mind needs attention

At least one of the two — your social media behavior or its psychological driver (FoMO) — needs attention. It isn’t serious yet, but left alone it can progress, so manage your screen time and deal with the psychological roots (comparison, self-esteem, fear of missing out) at the same time.

Combined 35-54 · Mild

Moderate · Needs a combined approach

Needs a combined approach

Both your use and your state of mind need work

Both your social media behavior and its psychological driver are showing clear problem signals. Behavioral fixes alone — screen time, notifications — won’t produce a real recovery; you need to work on the psychological roots of FoMO (comparison, feeling left out, self-esteem) at the same time. It is also worth checking whether depression or anxiety is involved.

Combined 55-74 · Moderate

High risk · Active intervention recommended

Get help now

High risk · psychological care is essential

Both your social media use and its psychological driver (FoMO) are at high-risk levels, which makes problematic use of social media alongside a mental health problem very likely. Work on the usage pattern and the psychology together — the SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-4357, free and confidential, 24/7) or a psychiatrist. Take the depression and anxiety self-checks as well.

Combined 75+ · High risk

Keep the rhythm you have

If your total social media time stays inside one to two hours a day, that is a healthy range. Keep the rules you already follow: screens off an hour before bed, no social media in the bedroom.

Cut your notifications

Every social media notification is a dopamine hit that pulls you back in — the single biggest driver of extra use. Turning off everything but the essentials cuts your screen time sharply.

Protect offline time

Set at least one social-free block a week — a weekend morning, after dinner — and keep it. Offline activity is a strong protective factor for emotional stability.

Watch for it in others

If someone in your family, a friend or a colleague is showing the signs — heavy use, short sleep, neglected real-world relationships — point them to this test.

Track your screen time

Check your per-app usage in Screen Time on iPhone or Digital Wellbeing on Android. Simply knowing exactly how much you use is enough to bring it down.

Turn off every notification

Turn off notifications on every social app. Switching to active use — opening the app only when you decide to — is the strongest single intervention against addictive use.

Get it off your home screen

Move social apps off the first page of your home screen — into the app drawer or a back page. Removing the habitual tap alone cuts how often you open them.

Set social-free hours

Make the first hour of the morning, the hour before bed and mealtimes social-free. Bedtime use in particular wrecks sleep quality, so start there.

Set daily app limits

Set daily per-app limits in Screen Time or Digital Wellbeing (say, 30 minutes for Instagram, 20 for TikTok). The app locks once you hit the limit, so the control doesn’t rest on willpower.

Delete and reinstall on purpose

Delete the app that gives you the most trouble and reinstall it only when you actually need it, then delete it again. Adding friction to access is an effective way to cut addictive use.

Line up something to do instead

Decide in advance what will fill the moments you would have spent scrolling — reading, a walk, a phone call, exercise. “Just don’t” rarely works; having something to do instead does.

Check for depression and anxiety

Social media addiction correlates strongly with depression and anxiety. Taking those self-checks too tells you whether the root of this is an emotional problem, which decides the direction recovery should take.

Talk to a professional

At the high-risk level, self-management alone often isn’t enough. The SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) gives free, confidential referrals to treatment and support, 24 hours a day. Seeing a psychiatrist alongside it is recommended.

Delete the apps entirely

Delete the app that gives you the most trouble for at least two weeks — a complete block, browser included. Going cold turkey can work better than cutting down gradually.

Test for depression and anxiety too

Between 60 and 80 percent of people at high risk for social media addiction also have depression, anxiety or sleep problems. Take those self-checks, and bring the results to an appointment — they help decide the direction of treatment.

Build a support system

Tell at least one family member or friend where you are right now and ask them to back you up. Don’t carry it alone. Asking for help isn’t weakness — it is where recovery starts.

Hold the balance you have

Your social media behavior and the psychology behind it are both steady. Regular offline time, sleep and activity are what protect that balance. Take this again when a period of big change comes.

Stop comparing

A social feed is other people’s highlights, edited. The moment you start comparing, FoMO climbs fast — so manage what you consume deliberately.

Protect everyday satisfaction

Putting time into real relationships, hobbies and achievements is the strongest protection against both social media addiction and FoMO. Keep meeting people offline on a regular basis.

Watch for it in others

If someone in your family or a friend is showing signs of heavy social media use or rising FoMO, point them to this test.

Start on both fronts at once

Manage your screen time (notifications off, apps off the home screen) and work on the psychological root at the same time. Ask yourself what you actually feel you are missing, and what is really behind that feeling.

Clean up your feed

Unfollow the accounts that make you feel worse — the ones that trigger comparison, self-criticism or anxiety — and keep only the ones that add something. What is in your feed directly sets how strong your FoMO is.

Put real meetings first

Get at least one offline meetup a week into your routine. The density of real relationships sharply lowers the fear of missing out.

Retake this in two weeks

Practice the self-management steps for two weeks, then take the same test and compare. If the score holds or climbs, move to the moderate-level steps.

Get combined support

Screen-time management alone won’t produce a real recovery at this stage. A combined approach works best — the SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) for free, confidential support with the use itself, and a psychiatrist for the depression, anxiety and self-esteem side.

Work on the root of the FoMO

Behind the worry about missing out there is usually a feeling of being left out, low self-esteem or comparison stress. Dealing with that root comes before any behavioral fix. CBT or talk therapy works well here.

Check for depression and anxiety too

Depression and anxiety are likely at this level. Take those self-checks to get an accurate picture, and bring the results with you to a psychiatric appointment.

Try a digital detox

Try something demanding — a full day off social media at the weekend, no social media at all while traveling — and see how well you cope.

Get professional help now

High-risk social media addiction combined with strong FoMO is very hard to recover from on your own. Using both the SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) and a psychiatrist at the same time is strongly recommended.

Check for depression and anxiety too

Depression and an anxiety disorder are very likely at this level. Take the self-checks now to see where you stand, and get psychiatric care straight away if you need it.

Delete the apps entirely

Delete the app that gives you the most trouble for at least two weeks. Try a complete block, browser included — if you can hold it, that tells you recovery is within reach.

Tell your family or a friend

Tell at least one family member or friend where you are right now and ask them to support you through it. This is hard to do alone. Asking for help isn’t weakness — it is where recovery starts.

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Source: Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (Andreassen CS, Billieux J, Griffiths MD, Kuss DJ, Demetrovics Z, Mazzoni E, Pallesen S. 2016. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors 30(2):252-262) | Griffiths 2005 six-component model of addiction | Korean-language validation: Shin 2022 (α = .86) | Cutoff reference: Cheng et al. 2021 meta-analysis. This is a self-check, not a clinical diagnosis.

Sources: BSMAS (Andreassen et al. 2016) + FoMO Scale (Przybylski AK, Murayama K, DeHaan CR, Gladwell V. 2013. Computers in Human Behavior 29(4):1841-1848) | Korean adaptation reference: Joo, Jeon & Sim (2018) Journal of the Korea Contents Association 18(2):248-261, K-FoMO — a significant correlation between FoMO and social media addiction was confirmed. This result is for reference and self-monitoring and does not replace a clinical diagnosis.

Over the past year, how often have you run into the following?

Choose how much you agree with each statement.

pts

📊 BSMAS — the six components of addiction

🧠 FoMO — three psychological dimensions

Your score is broken down by Griffiths’ (2005) six core components of addiction. A component scoring 3 or more (experienced at least sometimes) is a problem signal, and four or more of them meets the original study’s cutoff for problematic use of social media.

The ten FoMO items are broken down by psychological dimension. The relative strength of the three subdimensions — social worry, fear of missing out and compulsive checking — shows where the psychological root sits.

Problem signal

Healthy range

🧭 What to do next

🔗 Related self-checks

Social media addiction correlates very strongly with smartphone overdependence, depression and anxiety. Taking the companion tests gives you a fuller picture of where you are.

Smartphone overdependence self-check

The Korean NIA standard scale. Checks smartphone overdependence — the broader category that social media use sits inside.

Depression self-check

PHQ-9 and CES-D, dual mode. The international standard tests for depression, which correlates strongly with social media addiction.

Anxiety self-check

GAD-7 and PHQ-ADS, dual mode. The standard tests for anxiety disorder, which connects to social media withdrawal and excessive worry.

Open

BSMAS

FoMO

BSMAS total / 30

Combined score / 100

Social media addiction + FoMO combined

🚨 Polythetic cutoff · problematic use signal

Under the polythetic cutoff in Andreassen’s original study (2017), answering 3 or higher on four or more items counts as problematic use of social media (PUSM). When that condition is met — whatever your total score — improving your usage pattern is the first thing to look at.

What this test is for · reference only

BSMAS and the FoMO Scale are widely used, validated international instruments, but their Korean versions have not been adopted into an official national screening standard. This self-check is for self-monitoring and reference; it does not replace a clinical diagnosis. If the result worries you, talk to a psychiatrist, or call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 — free, confidential and available 24/7.

[ Social media addiction self-check — quick version (BSMAS, 6 items) ]

[ Social media addiction self-check — full version (BSMAS + FoMO, 16 items) ]

■ BSMAS total:

■ FoMO total:

■ Combined score:

→

■ BSMAS scores by addiction component (Griffiths 2005)

■ FoMO scores by psychological dimension (Przybylski 2013)

■ Result

■ 🚨 Polythetic cutoff · problematic use signal

Four or more items scored 3 or higher, which meets the criterion for problematic use of social media (PUSM) in Andreassen’s original study. Whatever your total score, improving your usage pattern is worth looking at first.

About this social media addiction self-check

This test is for self-monitoring and reference and does not replace a clinical diagnosis. BSMAS (Andreassen 2016) and the FoMO Scale (Przybylski 2013) are international standard instruments, but their Korean versions have not been adopted into an official screening standard. If the result worries you, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline — 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7), or talk to a psychiatrist.

BSMAS (Andreassen 2016) · Griffiths’ six-component model

Social media addiction self-check · quick
(BSMAS, 6 items)

Developed by Andreassen et al. (2016) at the University of Bergen in Norway, Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale is an international standard scale. Built on Griffiths’ (2005) six core components of addiction (salience, tolerance, mood modification, relapse, withdrawal, conflict), it measures each with a single item, and it covers Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and every other social platform, looking at your usage over the past year. A Korean adolescent validation completed in 2026 confirmed excellent reliability at Cronbach’s α = .86.

TimeAbout 2 min

Questions6 items

Score range6~30

Severity4 levels

🙂

6~11

😐

12~18

😵‍💫

19~23

📱

24~30

Scale

1/2/3/4/5

🧠 What does it measure?

Griffiths’ (2005) six components of addiction: salience, tolerance, mood modification, relapse, withdrawal and conflict. One item each, showing how social media is affecting your daily life.

ℹ️ Reference self-check

BSMAS is an international standard, but its Korean version has not yet been adopted into an official screening standard. Use it for reference, and see a professional if the result concerns you.

BSMAS + FoMO · behavior and psychological driver together

Social media addiction self-check · full
(BSMAS + FoMO, 16 items)

This full mode assesses the behavior of social media addiction (BSMAS)and its psychological driver (FoMO) together. The six BSMAS items from Andreassen (2016) measure the six features of addictive behavior, and the Fear of Missing Out Scale — 10 items from Przybylski et al. (2013, Computers in Human Behavior) — identifies the psychological root that reinforces social media use: the worry about missing out. That correlation between FoMO and social media addiction has been replicated internationally and in Korea (Joo et al. 2018).

TimeAbout 5 min

Questions16 items

Score range16~80

Instruments2 independent

📱

Addiction

😟

FoMO

🔗

Correlation

Combined

BSMAS+FoMO

🔬 Why the full mode?

Social media addiction comes from both sides: behavior (screen time, withdrawal) and psychology (fear of missing out, comparison). Seeing the two scales together tells you which direction recovery should take.

ℹ️ Reference self-check

BSMAS and the FoMO Scale are both international standards, but their Korean versions have not yet been adopted into an official screening standard. Use them for reference, and see a professional if the result concerns you.

🎙️ Say it, and it is written downSpeak your to-dos instead of typing them7-day free trial after sign-up · on-device speech recognitionSee Spicat →

What is social media addiction?

Social media addiction, or problematic use of social media (PUSM), is studied — alongside gambling, gaming and internet addiction — as a form of behavioral addiction. Andreassen and Pallesen (2014) defined it as being overly preoccupied with social media, driven by a strong motivation to use it, and devoting so much time and effort to it that it impairs other social activities, studies, work, relationships and psychological health. International research puts the prevalence of social media addiction at 13-25% by the problematic-use criterion (Cheng et al. 2021 meta-analysis).

BSMAS (Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale)

BSMAS is a screening instrument for social media addiction developed by Andreassen et al. (2016, Psychology of Addictive Behaviors 30(2):252-262) at the University of Bergen in Norway. It extends the original Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale (BFAS, 2012) from Facebook to social media as a whole, covering Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X and every other platform.

Theoretically it rests on Griffiths’ (2005) components model of addiction. The model sets out six core components common to every behavioral addiction, and BSMAS measures each one with exactly one item . Answers use a 5-point scale (1 = very rarely to 5 = very often), giving a total between 6 and 30.

The Korean version most widely used is Shin’s (2022) adaptation, which showed excellent internal consistency at Cronbach’s α = .86. A 2026 validation study in Korean adolescents confirmed the fit of a modified one-factor model, establishing it as a reliable instrument for Korean respondents as well.

Griffiths’ six core components of addiction

🧠

Salience

Thinking about social media constantly and planning your next session. The first stage of addiction.

📈

Tolerance

Wanting to use more and more to get the same satisfaction.

😌

Mood modification

Mood Modification

Using social media to avoid negative feelings and stress.

🔄

Relapse

Trying to cut back and drifting up again — a failure of control.

😰

Withdrawal

Restlessness, anxiety and irritability when you can’t use it.

⚡

Conflict

Use that has damaged your studies, your job or your relationships.

Four severity levels (reference cutoffs)

6~11

Healthy

Low risk

12~18

Mild

19~23

Moderate

24~30

High risk

Clinical

The total-score cutoffs follow the Cheng et al. (2021) meta-analysis. A score of 24 or more is the international clinical cutoff, corresponding to roughly the top 13% for problematic use of social media (PUSM). A score of 19 or more is the moderate cutoff, around 25%.

The polythetic cutoff

Separately from the total score, Andreassen’s original study (2017) offers a polythetic cutoff. Its criterion: if four or more of the six items are answered 3 (sometimes) or higher, that counts as problematic use of social media (PUSM). It reflects the fact that particular components can be at problem level even when the total is low, and this self-check flags it with a separate banner at the top of the results page whenever the condition is met.

FoMO (fear of missing out) · the worry that you’re missing something

FoMO (fear of missing out) means worrying that other people are having rewarding experiences without you. Working from self-determination theory, Przybylski, Murayama, DeHaan and Gladwell (2013, Computers in Human Behavior 29(4):1841-1848) developed the 10-item FoMO Scale, which has since become the most widely used instrument in psychology and social media research.

Korean adaptation: Joo, Jeon and Sim (2018, Journal of the Korea Contents Association 18(2):248-261) validated the three-factor, 8-item K-FoMO (need to belong, extrinsic motivation, relative deprivation) in Korean university students. That study found that FoMO correlates significantly with social media addiction, confirming concurrent validity, and found significant correlations with life satisfaction and with positive and negative affect.

The full mode of this self-check uses Przybylski’s original 10 items (2013) and analyses them along three factors: social worry, fear of missing out and compulsive checking.

Four FoMO levels (quartile reference)

10~19

Low

20~29

Average

Mild

30~39

High

40~50

Very high

Very High

How social media addiction and FoMO relate

Social media addiction is the visible behavior; FoMO is the underlying psychological driver. However much you cut your social media use, a strong fear of missing out leaves a high risk of relapse; conversely, suppressing the behavior without touching the psychological root of FoMO rarely produces a lasting recovery. Looking at both dimensions together is what helps you aim recovery in the right direction.

Social media addiction is strongly correlated with depression, anxiety, sleep problems, low self-esteem and trouble at school or work (confirmed in Andreassen’s large-scale 2016 study). In particular, social media’s comparison, likes, follower counts and notifications systems stimulate the dopamine circuit, giving them neurological features similar to other behavioral addictions — and the problem is especially severe among teenagers and young adults.

Eight ways to manage social media use

Social media addiction isn’t a matter of willpower. The apps themselves are designed to maximize dopamine, so much of it is an environmental factor. What matters is not individual effort alone but control of the environment — that is the key to recovery.

Turn off every notificationEvery social media notification is a dopamine hit that increases use — the single biggest driver. Turn off everything but the essentials and switch to active use: open the app only when you decide to.

Set daily app limitsSet daily per-app limits in Screen Time on iPhone or Digital Wellbeing on Android. The app locks once you pass the limit, so the control doesn’t rest on willpower.

Get it off your home screenMove social apps off the first page of your home screen — into the app drawer or a back page. Removing the habitual tap alone cuts how often you open them.

Set social-free hoursMake the first hour of the morning, the hour before bed and mealtimes social-free. Bedtime use in particular badly damages sleep quality.

Unfollow what makes you compareClear out the accounts that trigger negative feelings — comparison, self-criticism, anxiety. What is in your feed directly sets how strong your FoMO is, so cleaning it up is the same thing as managing the psychological root.

Build density in real relationshipsKeep at least one offline meetup a week in your routine. The density of real relationships sharply lowers the fear of missing out.

Line up something to do insteadDecide in advance what will fill the moments you would have spent scrolling — reading, a walk, a phone call, exercise. “Just don’t” rarely works; having something to do instead does.

Use professional supportAt the high-risk level, self-management alone rarely works. Reach out to the SAMHSA National Helpline — 1-800-662-4357 (free and confidential, 24/7), a psychiatrist, or a local community mental health center.

Frequently asked questions

Should I take the quick version (BSMAS) or the full one (BSMAS + FoMO)?

If you just want a quick read on your social media behavior, the quick version (BSMAS) takes two minutes. If you also want to get at the psychological driver behind it, the full version (BSMAS + FoMO) is the better choice. The full mode measures both the behavior (BSMAS) and its root, the fear of missing out (FoMO), which makes it easier to aim recovery in the right direction.

What kind of test is BSMAS?

Developed by Andreassen et al. (2016, Psychology of Addictive Behaviors), it is the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale. It began at the University of Bergen in Norway as the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale (BFAS) and was extended to cover Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and every other social platform. Built on Griffiths’ (2005) six-component model, it has six items and is one of the most widely used screening instruments for social media addiction anywhere.

What is the FoMO Scale?

FoMO (fear of missing out) means worrying that other people are having rewarding experiences without you. It is a 10-item self-report scale developed by Przybylski et al. (2013) on the basis of self-determination theory. In Korea it was validated as the 8-item K-FoMO by Joo, Jeon and Sim (2018), where a significant correlation with social media addiction was confirmed. It measures the psychological driver that reinforces social media use.

Is the Korean version an official standard?

Not yet — it has not been adopted into an official national screening standard. The Korean BSMAS (Shin 2022, Cronbach’s α = .86) and the Korean FoMO Scale (Joo et al. 2018) have both been validated in Korean university students and adolescents and are reliable instruments, but they don’t hold the formal standardized status that PHQ-9 or GAD-7 do. This self-check is for reference and self-monitoring and does not replace a clinical diagnosis.

Why is 24 the clinical cutoff?

The Cheng et al. (2021) meta-analysis uses 24 as the international standard clinical cutoff. At that cutoff the prevalence of problematic use of social media (PUSM) comes out around 13%, the level at which clinical intervention is advised. A French validation study (2023) also used 24 as its clinical threshold and reported that 15.4% of adolescent psychiatric inpatients exceeded it.

Can a low total still be a problem if one component is high?

Yes. Andreassen’s original study (2017) offers a polythetic cutoff. Of the six items, if four or more are answered 3 (sometimes) or higher, that counts as problematic use of social media. Even with a low total, if particular components — withdrawal or conflict, say — are at problem level, it is worth looking at your usage pattern first.

Which platforms count as social media here?

All of them: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, X (Twitter), Threads, Pinterest, Snapchat, Reddit and the rest. The original study defines social media broadly — any platform where you consume, share and interact with content. Short-video platforms like YouTube Shorts and Reels are included too.

Why does high FoMO raise the risk of addiction?

People high in FoMO have a strong drive to keep checking what others are doing and what they might be missing. Social media is the easiest tool for satisfying that urge instantly, so the higher the FoMO, the more compulsive the use becomes and the greater the risk it turns into addiction. Multiple studies report correlations of 0.5 or higher between FoMO and social media addiction.

How is smartphone overdependence different from social media addiction?

Smartphone overdependence is the broader category and social media addiction is a subtype of it. Smartphone overdependence covers all kinds of use — gaming, social media, YouTube, browsing, shopping — while social media addiction is specific to social platforms. Taking both tests gives you a more accurate picture of what the problem actually is.

Where can I get professional help?

SAMHSA National Helpline — 1-800-662-4357 offers free, confidential treatment referral and information for mental health and substance use concerns, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in English and Spanish. It can point you to local treatment facilities, support groups and community organizations. If depression or anxiety is also in the picture, seeing a psychiatrist alongside that is recommended.

Where is my result stored?

This self-check does not store your results on a server and collects no personal information. Your answers and results appear only in your own browser, and go no further unless you copy the result or share the URL yourself.

About this social media addiction self-check

This self-check offers the international standard social media addiction scale in two modes. The quick version (BSMAS, 6 items) is the University of Bergen scale developed by Andreassen et al. (2016), measuring each of Griffiths’ (2005) six core components of addiction with one item. The full version (BSMAS + FoMO, 16 items) adds the psychological driver — the fear of missing out (Przybylski 2013) — so you can see exactly which direction recovery should take.

This test is for self-monitoring and reference and does not replace a clinical diagnosis. BSMAS and the FoMO Scale are international standards, but their Korean versions have not been adopted into an official national screening standard. If the result worries you, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline — 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7), or talk to a psychiatrist.

Sources: Andreassen CS, Billieux J, Griffiths MD, Kuss DJ, Demetrovics Z, Mazzoni E, Pallesen S (2016). The relationship between addictive use of social media and video games and symptoms of psychiatric disorders. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors 30(2):252-262 · Griffiths MD (2005). A components model of addiction within a biopsychosocial framework · Korean-language validation: Shin (2022), Cronbach α = .86 · Cheng et al. (2021) meta-analysis · Andreassen et al. (2017), polythetic cutoff · Przybylski AK, Murayama K, DeHaan CR, Gladwell V (2013). Motivational, emotional, and behavioral correlates of fear of missing out. Computers in Human Behavior 29(4):1841-1848 · Korean adaptation: Joo ES, Jeon SY, Sim SJ (2018). Validation of a Korean fear-of-missing-out scale. J Korea Contents Assoc 18(2):248-261. This is a self-check, not a clinical diagnosis.

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Social media addiction self-check · quick(BSMAS, 6 items)

🧠 What does it measure?

ℹ️ Reference self-check

Social media addiction self-check · full(BSMAS + FoMO, 16 items)

🔬 Why the full mode?

ℹ️ Reference self-check

What is social media addiction?

BSMAS (Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale)

Griffiths’ six core components of addiction

Four severity levels (reference cutoffs)

Healthy

Mild

Moderate

High risk

The polythetic cutoff

FoMO (fear of missing out) · the worry that you’re missing something

Four FoMO levels (quartile reference)

Low

Average

High

Very high

How social media addiction and FoMO relate

Eight ways to manage social media use

Frequently asked questions

About this social media addiction self-check

Have Questions?

Social media addiction self-check · quick
(BSMAS, 6 items)

Social media addiction self-check · full
(BSMAS + FoMO, 16 items)