New negative effects associated with excessive social media use. This time, the alert originates from a research conducted by the Universities of Florence, Pisa, and Toledo, indicating that problematic social media usage not only impacts attention and mood but can also result in a gradual disconnection from physical experience. What are the consequences? You feel less connected to your body and pay less attention to its sensations. The study was done on 216 Italian university students aged 18 to 33 in two phases, four months apart, between 2023 and 2024. More than half of the participants indicated that they dedicate at least two hours daily to social media. Instagram was the most popular platform, followed by TikTok, and, to a lesser extent, X and Reddit. "What this research clarifies for the first time is the direction of the link between body dissociation and problematic social media use", according to the investigators. "The findings indicate that it is not the feeling of being a stranger to one's body that results in a loss of control over social media use. Instead, it is the compulsive engagement with appearance-focused social media platforms, such as Instagram, that, over time, contributes to a growing disconnection from one's physical self", they continue. "The manner in which social media platforms operate—centered on the editing and manipulation of self-images—encourages individuals to present themselves through an altered version of their body, temporarily adopting an idealized self-image while simultaneously observing themselves from an external perspective, as if they were an outsider. Over time, this external standpoint can promote detachment from one's body and intensify experiences of dissociation", the experts note. And that is not all. Another side effect of social media "indigestion" is that it encourages concentration on imaginary worlds at the expense of real ones: this is known as imaginative absorption, or the tendency to become swept away and immersed in one's fantasies, resulting in a decreased awareness of our surroundings. Similarly, the study suggests that the "antidote" lies in encouraging more mindful engagement with social media, taking into account the potential adverse impacts on our connection with physiological experiences and the surrounding environment.