Selfie addiction reveals extreme self-love

And women photograph themselves more than men, psychiatrists say. As the selfie craze grows, some patterns are emerging. Women take more ‘oomph’ selfies than men. But when it comes to adventurous selfies, men are way ahead, according to a Bengaluru psychiatrist.

No extensive studies have been done on the psychology of constantly taking one’s own pictures, but Bengaluru psychiatrists are getting anxious calls from parents about children and teenagers suffering from selfie addiction. Psychiatrist Dr Ajit Bhide says taking selfies all the time is a variation on the theme of narcissism, or the condition of being in excessive love with oneself. It indicates a preoccupation with the self, among people who say they have little time for other things in life.

People take photographs at extreme locations to show their sense of adventure. “More men than women do this,” he says. “But women take more selfies than men.”

Excess is bad
Some selfie-takers put their lives at risk at extreme locations, says Dr Prathima Murthy, psychiatrist at Nimhans. No cases of selfie addiction have been reported yet at the institute, but an excess of anything is bad, she says, comparing selfie addiction to excessive gaming and phone use.