What’s behind the epidemic of ‘selfitis’

If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

And now, a new conundrum for our times: if a place exists without a selfie being taken in front of it, is it really there? Because if you’ve ever visited somewhere like the Trevi Fountain in Rome, you’ll know that, for many tourists, a scenic or historic spot doesn’t count unless it has been used as the backdrop for a cheesy, contrived self-portrait. And that the greatest danger of being in such a tourist hotspot is not a pickpocket or scammer, but rather a poke in the eye with a sharp selfie stick or, as evidenced recently, a spot of tourist biffo.

A standoff between two women vying for the same selfie spot in front of the fountain this month resulted in terse words, jostling for position and, eventually, an all-in melee involving family members who needed to be separated by police.

Should we be shocked? Not really. Advertising tells us we’re not having a good time unless we have a picture or video of it. And for that, by the way, you’ll need a new phone, a new plan and lots of lovely data. Heaven forbid that you should zoom down a waterslide or jump into a pool and simply enjoy the experience.

No social media ‘‘likes’’ in that.

OK, there might be a touch of sour grapes here. We tried selfies a few times but the results were unmitigated disasters. No one wants to see seven middle-aged chins. Especially the person who owns them.

The rise of the obsessive selfie has not gone unnoticed in the scientific world. In fact, in some quarters ‘‘selfitis’’ is deemed to be a genuine psychological disorder suffered by those addicted to posting pictures of themselves on social media.

The condition was first mentioned in a 2014 spoof news story, but afterwards researchers from Britain and India decided to investigate whether it truly existed.

Their findings were published in the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction last year.

‘‘Whilst the story was revealed to be a hoax, it didn’t mean that the condition of selfitis didn’t exist,’’ explained Dr Mark Griffiths, Distinguished Professor of Behavioural Addiction in Nottingham Trent University’s psychology department. ‘‘We have now appeared to confirm its existence and developed the world’s first Selfitis Behaviour Scale to assess the condition.’’

Not everyone was convinced – some academics thought it was bunkum – but I’m not so sure. When I visited the Trevi Fountain last year, it was selfie sticks at dusk. That and unseemly to-hell-withanyone-else scrambles to nab the best spots in front of the famous landmark. Selfitis? Probably.

But also something much less scientific – a deeply unattractive part of the human condition called self-ishness.