What’s harder to resist than cigarettes and sex?

Would you rather abstain from sex – or from Twitter? 

According to a recent study, more people found it more difficult to go without social media than go without sex. Men and women, age 18 to 85, were asked to track their cravings on a smartphone for a week. At the conclusion of the study, the researchers calculated the results and found that the volunteers cited the pull of checking social networking sites, like Facebook and Twitter, stronger than that for sex, food, cigarettes, alcohol and shopping sprees.

The researchers say at the rate we’re going, social networking is likely to become a disruptive force for many to reckon with – and may take a similar toll on relationships, careers and mental health as alcohol, drugs and other addictive behaviors.