Media Addiction? Danah Boyd's Thoughts

Throughout Danah Boyd's book It's Complicated, she discusses a number of arguments regarding today's media.  While many struck me as both intriguing and credible, one stuck out to me most, that being Boyd's ideas regarding the word addiction and how it is falsely used out of context when

employed as means of describing today's societal social media standing.  Boyd argues that addiction is used too harshly, embellishing young adults in a strident standpoint as being unable to handle new technological advancements in an appropriate manner.

With that, I find truth in her reasoning.  I've been a firsthand witness of the consequences of being addicted to something, though the greatest addiction witnessed was smoking.  I've grown up with the majority of my family and the majority of my friends being faithful cigarette smokers; they get sweaty after a long period of no smoking, they get cranky, they get fidgety, they find alternative strategies to replace the lost addiction such as eating excessively.  

I have to say... I don't think I've ever seen anything come close to such incidences.  In fact, more people than not will claim they felt free and slightly relieved when they didn't have their phone for a couple days.  There is no physical dependence on such appliances but merely enjoyance in the what's new and what's now.  We may love our media, but not to the extent critics are alleging.  Young people have found further methods of communication, constructing a personal identity, sharing opinions; instead of shining a negative light on young people's social media use, there should rather be an appreciation for media's ability to keep young people informed, to keep their relationship ties strong, and to keep them confident in portraying who they are and confident in having a voice with their beliefs.