Ever catch yourself endlessly scrolling through social media, only to wonder why you feel more drained than entertained?
In the digital age, social media has become a fundamental part of our daily lives. Although it opens up vast opportunities for communication and sharing our experiences, it is becoming more and more potentially damaging to our mental health. Increased levels of anxiety, depression, and poor self-esteem are often linked to excessive use of social media, making it crucial to understand the potential negative impacts of these platforms in the digital age.
A study titled “Promoting Mental Health in The Digital Age: ”Exploring the Effects of Social Media Use on Psychological Well-Being” published in June 2023 in West Science Interdisciplinary Studies emphasizes how important it is to engage with social media responsibly. This blog post focuses on navigating between social media and changes in mental health so that the information provided would be helpful in shielding your mental health in the new age.
It turns out that social media, like everything in life, has its positive and negative sides that are equally useful and dangerous for society. On the bright side, and through using sites such as Instagram and Facebook, people have become close to one another. There are groups where people can find themselves, get support or even find friends. For instance, virtual communities that focus on mental health struggles, chronic diseases or specific interests offer users a feeling of community and understanding with others with whom it might be hard to interact in the offline world.
However, the downside of such interconnectedness is the necessity to look perfect all the time, which people have been calling the ‘highlight reel’ phenomenon. Many people on social networks post the top highlights of their lives – travel, success, happiness – and give an impression of perfect lives. For example, seeing your friend’s post on their recent vacation might make you jealous or frustrated. Such constant comparison can lead to anxiety, depression and alteration of the perception of reality.
The Psychological Impact of Social Media
In the digital age, social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook have become part of daily life, but their impact on mental health are immense and multifaceted. Social media tools such as Instagram, Facebook, and even Twitter have now pervasively become part of people’s everyday lives, providing connectivity and engagement. For the Internet that has become almost synonymous with Access to Information by many, this pervasive presence entails a hefty price.
In other studies it has been discovered that social media users who frequently use social media platforms are more likely to develop anxiety and depression as well as FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). Chotpitayasunondh and Douglas (2016) and Li et al. (2020a) have revealed that smartphones hinder meaningful relationships and face-to-face communication, and, in turn, Swar and Hameed (2017) and Leong et al. (2019) have provided substantial evidence to illustrate that the excessive use of social media leads to smartphone addiction. This addiction often stems from the FOMO effect, which only worsens mental health conditions.
Furthermore, it has been argued that social media use leads to enhanced levels of perceived anxiety, loneliness, and depression among social media users as well as increased levels of social isolation (Dhir et al. , 2018; Reer et al. , 2019; Van Den Eijnden et al. , 2016; White et al. , 2018). The above-mentioned social shift where people get immersed in their smartphones during face-to-face communication termed as “phubbing” explains how social media use can have negative impacts on our psychological being.
Here are some common signs of burnout:
- Anxiety and stress: Getting easily agitated or stressed up as a result of browsing through the news feed.
- Sleep issues: Having difficulties falling asleep because of late-night browsing.
- Loss of interest: Diminished energy, for example, not finding joy in pursuits that previously seemed appealing.
- Emotional exhaustion: Sensations of fatigue from the continuous engagement in online activities.
- Mood swings: Any changes in the behavior including having increased irritability or mood changes.
- Notification obsession: For example, as part of a compulsive desire to check frequently, even when it is unnecessary.
- Reduced productivity: Experiencing difficulty in focusing on tasks or responsibilities or in concentration.
Strategies to Protect Your Mental Health
One cannot underestimate the influence of social media on one’s mental health. Despite the benefits it presents, there should be measures to control the detrimental impact of technological advancement and this can be done through making proper usage of the gadgets, reasonable and sparingly.
Among the measures, one of them is to reduce using social media to a certain number of hours per day. Both Instagram and Facebook have features that allow the user to monitor time spent on the app and set up reminders. This can help you combat the bad habit of passive consumption of digital content and be more active instead.
Other things such as curating yourself a social media feed that is positive can also go a long way in assisting you. If certain accounts make you feel sadness, anger or other negative emotions, block or otherwise exclude them from your feed. Rather, you should follow accounts that positively impact and encourage you.
Thus, while using social media, there is a need to be conscious of your engagement. Be specific with objectives such as; Looking for friends or seeking inspiration. This can decrease stress and make your usage of technology more fulfilling.
Make sure to create time for the real world experience alongside the virtual life. Amuse yourself with friends, family, and other pursuits, and do things in meatspace. This will help you keep a healthy attitude and prevent possible unwanted effects of spending too much time with screens.
Conclusion
There are effects that social media causes on the mental health of its users, the general awareness of this is the only way you can safeguard your health. Thus, the words of Sherry Turkle, a professor at MIT as well as the author of Alone Together, focus on the following idea: “We expect more from technology and less from each other.”
We should acknowledge that even though social media is an amazing platform for communication and sharing information, it negatively impacts mental health in case it is not used appropriately. By setting boundaries, cultivating a positive online environment, and being mindful of how we use these platforms, we can navigate the digital age in a way that supports, rather than undermines, our mental well-being.
