Social Media And Mental Health

Social media is not a harmful weapon of its own. In reality, it has numerous advantages. However, there are dangers associated with excessive use of social media.

According to research, social media has been linked to mental wellbeing, fueling feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness.

We often get startled whenever we receive news of a perceived successful online personality who died by suicide or had suicide ideation despite a myriad of followers as well as numerous likes and comments on his or her timeline.

The fact is social media puts a distorted lens on appearances and reality.

We must be informed of its benefits and drawbacks especially for young people in recent times.

Pro: It raises awareness

One of the most influential features of social media is the opportunity for an individual or organization to rapidly raise awareness of a critical problem to a large audience. All over the world, more people are using social media to encourage change and make a positive difference.

Pro: It successfully establishes and maintains relationships

Social media has radically altered how we interact with one another and how we shape and sustain relationships. It is a wonderful tool for people who want to express their opinions and meet like-minded people with common interests.

Pro: Help-seeking activity is normalized

It is not unusual for people to be hesitant to discuss their health issues with family and friends, There are so many accessible online services in recent times. Social media is a safe forum for everyone to ask questions and gain access to a variety of health resources.

Pro: It can help deal with depression

There are two sides to this coin. While it can increase the risk of depression which will be explained further down, it has also been proven to reduce it since we are social beings with an innate desire to communicate, socialize and engage with others. To some people, it is an excellent forum for facilitating conversations with like-minded people and forming friendships. it can also help anyone in a depressive mode by looking at funny memes, reading or listening to motivational messages, watching calming content, or obtaining advice on how to tackle depression and other mental health issues.

Pro: Financial freedom

When it comes to selling a brand, social media is useful as a business tool. Particularly at times when social isolation and other constraints have restricted other types of communication and logistics.

Excessive use and constant scrolling is an addictive behavior that can damage the human psyche in a variety of ways. It is easy to get caught up in comparisons when there is a regular bombardment of details both visual and descriptive. This has been shown to have a negative effect on self esteem contributing to suicide ideation and self-harm especially among young people.

Con: It encourages the spread of false information

Anyone with a smartphone or any digital device with an internet connection has the ability to share information with a potentially massive audience using an anonymous profile. In essence, While social media has the ability to create powerful positive change, at the same time when used with bad intentions, it can have devasting consequences on our mental wellbeing.

Con: It has the potential to increase isolation

The social displacement theory states that the more time we spend on social media, the less time we spend socializing in person. Multiple studies have shown that people who were on their phones more often were more likely to feel nervous, frustrated, lonely, and alienated.

According to recent research, adolescents and young adults who spend a significant amount of time on social media have a 66 percent higher risk of depression.

Con: Low Self-esteem

It is tempting to play the comparison game when there is a constant stream of picture-perfect people living in an ideal world. However, several people are unaware that these pictures are filtered which encourages the threshold for performance to be set far too high.

Con: Deprivation of sleep

When we use our phones constantly before bedtime, it can make it difficult to sleep because of the blue light and influx of information. It can harm sleep quality. One of the most contributors to depression is sleep deprivation.

The question is, How do we keep our mental health secure in the midst of social media?

A struggle with social media develops into a challenge over time and sometimes goes unnoticed. The first step in protecting our mental health is to be mindful of how much time we spend on social media and the impact it has on us.

Spend less time on the internet. There are many apps that are helpful in keeping track of how much time time we spend on social media. We could also turn our phone off or turn off social media alerts at certain times of the day.

Be intentional in using social media. Sometimes we should question our motives behind getting on our different social media platforms, if it is as a result of habit, then there is need to shift our attention.

Offline communication. As much as possible we should try to connect with family and loved ones face to face. Though this might be difficult in recent times because of covid-19 and social distancing but a video call with a loved one can also suffice.

Mindfulness practice, gratitude expression and reflection time. These are all practices that can bring meaning to one’s life. https://yemisidabiri.medium.com/gratitude-and-the-brain-33edf5b62711

By and large, while social media helps us find almost everything we need as well as form meaningful relationships, communities, and interactions. It is important to be aware of its negative effects on our mental and physical health.