Life Beyond the Horizon: A Study of Screen Usage Patterns and Social Networking Addiction among Students Aged 16–25 Years

The phenomena related to addiction revolve around different concepts, which eventually hamper the real life of an individual. The generation and period we are experiencing are bombarded with technology and extensive information. With the increasing use of mobile phones and unlimited internet connections, social networking addiction has taken a front seat, and the young and new generation are prey to it. The present study aimed to examine screen time patterns, social networking usage, and the level of social networking addiction among students aged 16–25 years, as well as to assess the effect of screen time on addiction levels.  The sample consisted of 100 students, equally divided by gender (boys and girls), selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected using a standardized Social Networking Addiction Scale along with a self-constructed demographic questionnaire. The findings revealed that most students reported moderate screen time and social networking usage, with minimal gender differences. Entertainment emerged as the primary purpose of social networking use, and YouTube and Instagram were the most preferred platforms. The dimensional analysis indicated that salience, mood modification, and relapse were the most prominent components of social networking addiction. The overall addiction level among students was moderate, with considerable individual variability. A significant difference was found between students with less than 5 hours and more than 5 hours of daily screen time, indicating that higher screen time is associated with greater social networking addiction (t = 2.61, p < 0.05). The study concludes that while social networking use among students is generally moderate, increased screen time significantly contributes to higher addiction levels. The findings emphasize the need for awareness and preventive interventions to promote balanced and healthy digital engagement among young adults.