Evaluation of the impact of social media on the perception of loneliness

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of social media use on loneliness among individuals in our country. Considering that today's individuals use the internet and social media more than the previous generations, it is beneficial to investigate the negative situations that may be experienced in this field. Social media addiction, which has just started to emerge as a result of unconscious use; emerges as the individual's inability to suppress and prevent his desire for using social media. Individuals with excessive use of social media can suffer physical and psychological harm and their daily life is in trouble, and individuals do not stop using social media even in this case. Among these damages, there is a feeling of loneliness that causes the person to break with his social life. The sample of the study consists of Denizli Province Pamukkale District Surgery Hospital employees. In the study, social media addiction was evaluated with the "Social Media Addiction Scale Adult Form". Loneliness was measured with the "U.C.L.A. Loneliness Scale". According to the results; There is no significant difference in loneliness according to gender, age and education level. Participants in the 15-19 age group and 20-24 age group were found to have more social media addiction compared to the 25-29 age group. Social media addiction has been found to be higher in associate and undergraduate graduates compared to graduate and high school graduates. It has been determined that those with an income of less than 2000 TL have a higher level of loneliness than those with an income of more than 6000 TL. When the relationship between loneliness and social media addiction is evaluated, it has been determined that when social media addiction increases, it also increases partially in loneliness. In addition, it has been determined that one unit of increase in social media addiction will cause a partial increase on the level of loneliness.