In the last decade, the use of social media has been amplified a lot and it has become an important part of our daily life. It is something which is influencing our social life.
It has also become very crucial for everyone including brands, businesses, celebrities, and the general public to have a presence on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, or TikTok.
Most of us are in the habit of using social media as a regular means of communication.No matter what activities we do for the whole day, we make sure to post stories on our Facebook and Instagram.
In today's globalizing society, social media is a part of our daily routine. Well, is it just a routine or does social media is eating up your lives?
Socialmedia is a blessing as it has become easier to connect with people and industries overseas. But it is important to understand that this virtual world of networking is also a bit of a trap that is dominating our lives.
Social media is consuming our lives and can be damaging to our mental health.
Studies have shown that the excessive use of social media can have long-lasting effects on your mental health.
According to various studies, the excessive use of social media is linked with the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem in teenagers. It can also affect your sleep quality and hyperactivity.
Most experts also say that excessive use of social media is like new-age smoking. The effects of social media can be pretty damaging which is not good for your overall well-being.
Social media is a benefit for all those who struggled with socializing and communicating face-to-face. However, many people are struggling with trolls, toxic comparisons, and cyberbullying because of the use of social media.
People of all ages are using social networking sites these days, and it is important to know how social media can have a negative influence on our mental health. Following are how social media could negatively affect your mental health.
Internet addiction disorder
Are you always on your phone checking updates on Facebook and Instagram? Are you excessively consuming social media? If your answer is yes, you may be suffering from Internet Addiction Disorder or IAD. Another symptom of IAD is playing online video games or online shopping.
Social media sites get the users "hooked" which is interfering with their daily lives– relationships, work, and personal lives. Because of their addictive behaviour, people might neglect their personal life.
The over-dependence on social media can affect people from a psychological perspective and would affect them negatively.
Decreased self-esteem
The use of social media has a major impact on our self-esteem. It can make an individual self-conscious and insecure. When we spend a lot of time on social media, we tend to make comparisons which decrease our self-esteem and our confidence levels.
Studies in the past have shown that self-esteem has an impact on your well-being and has a direct relationship with your overall health.
Constant exposure to social media can negatively affect your mind because many-a-times people take social media way too seriously and get trapped by the unrealistic standards set by other people.
Seeking validation in terms of likes and followers, and making comparisons with fellow people will lead to lower self-esteem which will further lead to symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Anxiety and Depression
The excessive use of social media could be a huge reason for mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. Studies have shown that people who use multiple social media accounts are at higher risk of problems such as anxiety and depression.
Making comparisons with other's lives is mentally unhealthy
With social media, we are now comparing our life to everyone, and according to many physiologists; comparison is a bad and harmful habit. A lot of people feel socially isolated and tend to silence their thoughts because they start comparing themselves with avid users of social media.
When you think about what others have, it takes away your attention from what you have. Comparison can lead to feelings of loneliness, unhappiness, and depression.
Lesser Human connection
Social interaction is critically important for good mental health. But with the coming of social media, we're glued to our mobile and desktop screens and have less face-to-face interaction.
Having more friends and followers on social media is good but doesn't mean that you have a better social life. Some close friends and realistic connections are very important to have a happy life.
Sleep deficiency and FOMO
Using social media even for a couple of hours can have adverse effects on your sleep as it is directly linked to increased sleep deficiency.
FOMO is fear of missing out; it is a type of social media anxiety. FOMO is dangerous and can cause stress and can also decrease your ability to concentrate on more important things.
In Anutshell, Social media is beneficial, but it is important to balance your social life with real-life relationships.