Human beings are the social creatures and they tend to find relationships with others so that they can survive. Their mental health and happiness depends on how much they are connected with other or how many social connections are there in their lives. There is an ease of anxiety, depression, loneliness, joy, happiness and self esteem when they are connected with other people. And when there is a lack of social connections it may risk your mental and emotional health.
Social media like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and Youtube are a good source for getting connected to people. Although there are many benefits but social media cannot replace the real human connection. Only when you are in close physical contact with other people do the hormones that lessen stress and boost happiness, health, and optimism start to flow. Ironically, social media, which is meant to bring people together, can really make you feel more alone and isolated and aggravate mental health issues like anxiety and depression if you spend too much time using it.
It could be time to rethink your online behaviours and achieve a healthy balance if you’re using social media excessively and experience sadness, dissatisfaction, frustration, or loneliness. Take help from the best psychologist in India and top in order to manage such negative emotions and feelings.
Advantages of social media
- Communication is up to date about the family, friends and about the world
- People can also find new friends who share the same interests.
- Join or support good causes; spread the word about important concerns.
- People can find emotional support when they are facing tough times.
- Find a crucial social connection if you, for instance, live in a remote area, has little freedom, suffer from social anxiety, or belong to a minority group.
- Find a means to express your creativity and personality.
- Find sources of beneficial knowledge and learn.
- Help in strengthening existing social relationships.
- Join local meet ups to foster community.
- Give teenagers the chance to acquire the technical and other socially necessary skills.
- Encourage healthy lifestyle changes
Negative aspects of social media on health
- Social media use is very addictive.
- It may trigger more sadness in one’s life.
- People may tend to compare their lives with others and this is quite unhealthy for their mental health.
- Jealousy in people may increase for other people.
- People use social media to divert their mind from the things that happen bad with them or when they are getting bored but it acts like drugs which may give temporary effects but the after effects are very severe.
- It may bring a Fear of Missing Out (FOMO).
- High usage of social media may increase the amount of loneliness instead of decreasing it.
- You’re more likely to experience mood disorders like anxiety and sadness if you prefer social media interaction over in-person relationships.
- Twitter and other social media platforms can serve as hubs for the dissemination of damaging rumours, lies, and abuse that can cause long-lasting emotional scars.
- Social media can lead to unhealthy self-centeredness and keep you disconnected from real-life relationships if you post countless selfie’s and all of your private thoughts there.
- Social media use can also hinder with your sleeping patterns
Using social media in an inappropriate way in a circular loop
Overusing social media can start a vicious loop that feeds on itself:
- You use social media more frequently to pass the time or interact with others when you’re lonely, unhappy, anxious, or stressed.
- However, using social media more frequently worsens FOMO and emotions of inferiority, discontentment, and loneliness.
- Your mood is significantly impacted by these emotions, which also exacerbate the signs of stress, anxiety, and depression.
- Your use of social media increases as these symptoms get worse, which feeds the vicious cycle.
How to control your use of social media
- Choose a time at night when you won’t check your phone, and if you can, charge it while you sleep in a different room.
- If you want to avoid using your phone as soon as you wake up, use an alarm clock rather than relying only on it.
- Pick a day each week to disconnect from social media and concentrate on something else.
- Put your phone in “Airplane” or “Do Not Disturb” mode for at least a few hours each day (which you can gradually increase).
- Set boundaries or just allow yourself to check your notifications at specific times.
- Take a break from every apps that you realise are causing you to feel inadequate or have a negative body image. Instead, you may experiment with self-improvement apps like meditation ones.
- Use programmes that monitor your usage and block specific third-party apps. This will help you become more conscious of how much time you spend using social media and will free up your attention for other tasks.
- When you go home, make it a practise to leave your phone close to the door. Doing this with a friend, partner, or family member helps keep you accountable and motivated. Plan to participate on social media less and spend more time hanging out in person with your pals.
Users have quick access to electronic communication and content exchange through social media. Although it has many beneficial advantages, users’ mental health may suffer as a result. By limiting social media use to 30 minutes each day, you can lessen FOMO and the related feelings of isolation, anxiety, sadness, and sleep disturbances. Reach out to a therapist or counselor, if you think you need an expert’s help. TalktoAngel attempts to connect you with the best therapists in India. Find a counsellor and a psychologist of your choice and talk to them about your challenges. With a single click, you can connect with the Best psychologists in India, counsellors, psychologists, and psychiatrists at TalktoAngel, who can guide you to address your mental health concerns and help you to take care of your mental health by yourself.
