Each and every one of use some form of social media every day, whether it is for work, to contact an out of state family member, or just to scroll through a feed to find a good laugh. But do we realize what kind of an affect social media can have on us? While the media can have its benefits, it can also have a very negative effect on our mental health.
Forecasted for the year 2021, about 3 billion people will be monthly active users of social media. When checking social media, it can give you the feeling of instant gratification, which will release dopamine. But if we do not get that instant gratification, it can lead to feeling unimportant, unhappy, and lonely. Studies found the tendency to compare oneself to others on social media—whether you see yourself in a more positive or more negative light— is a significant risk factor for depression and anxiety. A recent study done by the OECD found that people who use social media more often have lower life satisfaction. Overuse of social media can cause sleep deprivation, leading to a detrimental daily life cycle. FOMO (fear of missing out) feeds into this addiction. This will make the social media user check up on their profiles more frequently, as they will be afraid that they will miss something important. From the article written by the U.S National Library of Medicine, it states that “research has found that increased social media consumption may lead to negative online experiences, fewer in-person social interactions, and decreased ability to sustain attention.” Social media can also damage self-esteem and self-image through unrealistic expectations. Royal Society of Public Health recently found “9 in 10 young females are unhappy with how they look”. Sadly, women are affected negatively at a greater rate compared to men. This is demonstrated through Shensa et al.’s study where it is stated that “rates for both depression and anxiety are disproportionately high among women, individuals of low socio-economic status, and emerging adults.” With many social media platforms contributing to low self-esteem, body image issues and body dysmorphia, it doesn’t help that most users only choose to post and display their best selves on social media. Users only post when they’re having a great time. And some users even create ‘fake’ accounts so they can post their true selves and feelings. We only like to show the perfect image of ourselves. Social media has not been around for that long if you think about it, so because it is a relatively new phenomenon, there are still many questions regarding their potential impact on mental health. It has certainly left its mark on all of us. Over the past decade, social networking has caused profound changes in the way we all communicate and interact. One way to help your overuse of social media is to track how much time you are on certain apps, and setting limits while doing so. Another way is to turn off your phone, disabling notifications, or deleting that app itself. A break can be good; refreshing I might add-but it is almost impossible to escape our reality as it lives in the media. Sources: The Complex Links Between Social Media and Mental Health Anxiety, loneliness and Fear of Missing Out: The impact of social media on young people's mental health Social Media Use and Depression and Anxiety Symptoms: A Cluster Analysis Social Media and Mental Health
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