Social Media’s Effects On Mental Health
Uploaded on 2021-06-25 in TECHNOLOGY-Key Areas-Social Media, FREE TO VIEW
The rapid growth of social media over the last decade has established an entirely new medium for human interaction. In terms of Internet usage, the highest users of social media are 16-24 year olds (96%) and many of us rely on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, and Instagram to find and connect with each other. Some social media sites have transformed the way where people communicate and socialise on the web. Social networking sites render the opportunity for people to reconnect with their old friends, colleagues and mates. While social media certainly has its benefits, it’s important to remember that social media can never be a replacement for real-world human connection. It requires in-person contact with others to trigger the hormones that alleviate stress and make you feel happier, healthier, and more positive.
Multiple studies have found a strong link between heavy social media and an increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts.If you’re spending an excessive amount of time on social media and feelings of sadness, loneliness, dissatisfaction and or frustration are impacting your life, it may be time to re-examine your online habits and find a healthier balance.
Positive Aspects Of Social Media
While virtual interaction on social media doesn’t have the same psychological benefits as face-to-face contact, there are still many positive ways in which it can help you stay connected and support your wellbeing. Social media enables users to:
- Communicate and stay up to date with family and friends around the world.
- Find new friends and communities; network with other people who share similar interests or ambitions.
- Join or promote worthwhile causes; raise awareness on important issues.
- Seek or offer emotional support during tough times.
- Find vital social connection if you live in a remote area, for example, or have limited independence, social anxiety, or are part of a marginalized group.
- Find an outlet for your creativity and self-expression.
- Discover (with care) sources of valuable information and learning.
Negative Aspects Of Social Media
Multiple studies have found a strong link between heavy social media and an increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness and suicidal thoughts. Social media may promote negative experiences such as:
Inadequacy about your life or appearance: Even if you know that images you’re viewing on social media are manipulated, they can still make you feel insecure about how you look or what’s going on in your own life.
Fear of missing out (FOMO): While FOMO has been around far longer than social media, sites such as Facebook and Instagram seem to exacerbate feelings that others are having more fun or living better lives than you are.
Isolation: A study at the University of Pennsylvania found that high usage of Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram increases rather decreases feelings of loneliness
Depression and anxiety: Human beings need face-to-face contact to be mentally healthy. Nothing reduces stress and boosts your mood faster or more effectively than eye-to-eye contact with someone who cares about you. The more you prioritize social media interaction over in-person relationships, the more you’re at risk of depression.
Cyberbullying: Social media platforms such as Twitter can be hotspots for spreading hurtful rumors, lies, and abuse that can leave lasting emotional scars.
Self-absorption: Sharing endless selfies and all your innermost thoughts on social media can create an unhealthy self-centeredness and distance you from real-life connections.
Social media platforms are designed to capture your attention to keep you online, repeatedly checking your screen for updates. It’s how the companies make money, similar to a gambling compulsion or other addictions, social media use can create psychological cravings.
Using social media has become a substitute for a lot of your offline social interaction. Even if you’re out with friends, you still feel the need to constantly check social media, often driven by feelings that others may be having more fun than you. As the technology is growing the social media has become the routine for just about everyone, some people seem addicted with it use every day and its impact is different on different people:
- Social media has increased the quality and rate of collaboration for students.
- Business uses social media to enhance an organisation’s performance in various ways such as to accomplish business objectives, increasing annual sales of the organisation.
Social Media Has Merits But Also Has Negative Effects
False information can lead the education system to failure, in an organisation wrong advertisement will affect the productivity, social media can abuse the society by invading on people’s privacy, in some cases promoting inappropriate and harful behaviour. The evidence suggests that social media use is strongly associated with anxiety, loneliness and depression. Whether it is causal or just a correlation will need to be further examined by researchers.
There seems little doubt that social media platforms will continue to grow. In particular, use of social media has become pervasive in the lives of young people, staying with them into adulthood, and nursing practice needs to meet the emerging needs of people whose mental health and wellbeing may be negatively affected.Use of social media is beneficial, but should be used in a limited way to avoid addiction.
You Might Also Read:
