Technology like social media has many fantastic advantages. People may interact and discuss, learn news and information, and even meet new people thanks to it. However, there can also be a drawback, particularly for college-age young adults who were raised in a screen-centric society.
Social media Impact on mental health
Everyone is aware that humans are social creatures. To succeed in life, we require the company of others, and the quality of our relationships has a significant bearing on both our mental health and enjoyment. Many people in the modern world depend on social media websites like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, and Instagram to locate and interact with others. Social interaction with others has been shown to decrease stress, anxiety, and depression, improve self-esteem, bring comfort and joy, prevent loneliness, and even lengthen life. On the other hand, a lack of solid social ties can seriously risk your mental and emotional well-being.
The positive effect of social media on mental health
Social media has numerous beneficial effects on our health. Social media can improve your happiness and keep you connected in a variety of ways.
You can communicate and remain in touch with family and friends all over the world thanks to social media.
- Make new acquaintances and connections in your area; network with those who have the same goals or interests as you.
- Support deserving causes or join them; spread awareness of critical concerns.
- When things are difficult, ask for or extend emotional assistance.
- If you live in a remote area, for instance, or have limited independence, social anxiety, or are a member of a marginalized group, find a crucial social connection.
- Locate a means of creative and expressive expression.
What a Social Media effect on Mental health
numerous studies on the impact of social media on mental health have discovered a direct connection between using social media frequently and an elevated risk for depressive, anxious, lonely, self-harming, and even suicidal thoughts.
Anxiety and Depression
Face-to-face interaction is essential for maintaining human mental health. Making eye contact with a caring person is the fastest and most efficient way to alleviate stress and improve your mood. You’re more likely to experience mood disorders like anxiety and sadness if you prefer social media interaction over in-person relationships. So, we can say that by the usage of social media you can face anxiety and depression.
Emphasizing Interactions
When you focus too much on the responses you get (or don’t get) to the content you post, problems might multiply. For instance, you could feel dissatisfied or invalidated if you publish a picture with the hopes of getting likes or comments but don’t.
When you evaluate your posts in comparison to those of others, you could feel let down. Low self-esteem, a change from other duties, and even depressive or anxious sensations can result from all of this.
FOMO: Fear of missing out
Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram tend to worsen FOMO, even though the phenomenon has been for much longer than social media. Your self-esteem may suffer, anxiety may be sparked, and your use of social media may increase due to the perception that you are missing out on certain things. FOMO can drive you to pick up your phone frequently to check for updates or compulsively respond to every alert, even if doing so puts your safety and that of other road users at risk, prevents you from getting enough sleep at night, or forces you to put online connections ahead of personal connections.
Cyberbullying
On social media, about 10% of teenagers report being bullied, and many other users experience nasty comments. Twitter and other social media platforms can serve as hubs for the dissemination of damaging rumors, lies, and abuse that can cause long-lasting emotional scars.
Your frequent use of social media may be concealing underlying issues like stress, melancholy, or boredom. If you use social media more frequently when you’re depressed, lonely, or bored, you may be using it to block out negative emotions or elevate your mood. Allowing yourself to feel, despite the initial difficulty, can help you discover more effective strategies to control your mood.
