A couple of psychologists are now dubbing the obsessive need to post selfies as "selfitis", and declaring it a "genuine mental disorder".
Two psychologists developed a "Selfitis Behavior Scale" that determines the severity of the condition:
- Borderline—taking selfies three times a day, but not posting.
- Acute—when you start posting selfies.
- Chronic—post at least six selfies a day.
Doctors found people with chronic Selfitis suffer from a lack of self-confidence.
Parenting expert Harry Harrison, Jr. said warning signs include skipping meals or not wanting to be social with people.
“This could certainly be an addiction, if you’re doing it all the time, day and night and you cannot bare the thought of not doing it,” said Harrison.
He said if kids see their parents taking selfies, or always on the phone, children will mimic that behavior.
“This sets up a pattern for narcissitic behavior because it’s all of this interest in yourself, then you need to move to thinking of God or thinking of nature or thinking of what’s beautiful in your life,” said Harrison.