While many of us have genuinely benefitted from social media, excessive use of anything can fuel negativity. At this time of the pandemic, isolation, and social distancing, social media have worked as a boon to all of us.
It has become a priceless tool for keeping in touch with our loved ones, friends, and of course the outside world. But are you being mindful?
It’s time to evaluate your relationship with social media. Do you find yourself in anxiety, stress, and even uncertainty if you limit your usage? Well, if the answer is yes, take steps to limit the engagement.
Why do you think social media is growing in popularity?
As stated above it allows people to connect and reconnect with each other. And, during the COVID-19 pandemic, that’s all people have to be in touch with each other. But apart from this, these are the following reasons:
1. The feel-good factor
How many times have you caught yourself reading other people's comments on Instagram or Facebook?
Social media tends to emphasize its usage and people get addicted to it. For example, using social media activates the reward center of the brain and releases dopamine (source of the feel-good component).
Dopamine is the release why people remain hooked to feel-good experiences.
2. Boosts Self-Esteem
The world is fully digitalized and more than often, people need social validation to feel validated.
Some people share their life on social media to get a certain number of likes or comments. Based on this they judge their identity.
It also helps the unsocial or the introvert folks to interact without having to communicate in real!
3. Builds Connections
Social Media has become an outlet for venting out emotions and also creativity. While some use it to express their talent, others use it to build connections. You can find new people who share similar interests.
What is the equation between Social Media and Mental Health?
Human beings are social beasts. They crave companionship to thrive in life. And, the equation they share with others hugely impacts their happiness and mental health.
Several researchers have proven that being socially connected eases anxiety, stress, depression, provides comfort, prevents boredom, boosts self-worth, and even adds years to your life!
Now on the flip side, imagine a situation where social media is absent. It poses a serious risk to the emotional and mental health of a person.
In today’s era, many people rely on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and YouTube to seek happiness. While each has its advantages, it’s crucial to remember that social media can never be a replacement for real human connections.
What you need is to interact with people physically. This triggers the hormones that decrease stress and makes you healthier and happier.
How social media affects Mental Health:
1. Causes Depression
Surprisingly, the technology that was invented to bring people closer has only made them more isolated. In case some sort of disagreement occurs online, it leads to anxiety in real life.
Studies state that if a person tends to spend more than two hours on social media, they can easily fall prey to poor mental health.
2. Hurts Self-Esteem
It’s important to remember that not everything visible to the eyes is true. But many people start comparing their lives to others.
Even if you know that the images that are shown online are manipulated, your brain focuses on the void in your life. This gives rise to insecurity, dissatisfaction, and feelings of envy.
3. FOMO
FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). If you’re an aggressive user of social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, you must have experienced FOMO at some point.
Social media wants you to believe that you’re missing out on life. This causes you to check the apps constantly and respond to every single alert.
4. Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
This is perhaps a very true scenario. Unknowingly many people use social media as a way to cope up with other underlining emotions or issues.
For instance, regardless of what you feel you turn to social media isn’t it? Be it sad, lonely, happy, lonely, or whatever, you switch to social media to distract yourself from the actual feelings.
Ultimately, social media has only turned into a harmful way to self-soothe.
5. Become Self-Obsessed
Sharing endless selfies or even your innermost thoughts on social media? This is yet another sign of deteriorating mental health. Just to surpass the bad days you create an unhealthy self-obsession.
You start crafting a fake image online instead of making genuine memories with your loved ones. Therefore, at some point, it gets hard to realize that social media is just a big water bubble!
What are the signs that social media is impacting you?
Everyone is different and so the pattern of social media is different for every individual. What is important to notice is that how and when social media does impact your mood.
Here are some of the indicators:
1. Distracts You
If you find that social media has become a substitute for a lot of activities or social interaction, it’s time to evaluate your relationship with it. Endless scrolling through the social media feed leaves you feeling angry, anxious, envious, or even depressed?
It could be the time to get a social media detox!
2. Suppressing Emotions
Even though you like to believe that social media helps you get rid of all those unwanted feelings, it is not true!
Turning to Instagram and Facebook for distraction or comfort is unhealthy. It urges you to suppress your genuine emotions.
So, it may be time for you to access your self-hurting social media habits. Some additional signs are:
• Increases depression, anxiety, loneliness
• Spending more time online instead of socializing with family & friends
• Engaging in risky behaviors
• Lagging in work to spend more time on social media
• Compromising on sleep, exercise, and mindfulness
• Comparing yourself to others on social media
How can you improve your relationship with social media?
Digitalization is a boon for mankind. Even though there are a lot of negative impacts, but using it mindfully will certainly stabilize the relationship.
You don’t need to cut out social media from your life completely. While 30 minutes a day may sound too much, you can still benefit from reducing screen time.
However, by following a few simple steps you can ensure a normal and healthy balance.
Things-To-Do:
1. Install an app to track your social media usage/ day
2. Switch off your phone during certain hours
3. Don’t carry your phone to bed
4. Disable all social media notifications during work
5. Limit social media checks
6. Try uninstalling a few apps
7. Spend time with offline friends
8. Take out time for gratitude and self-care
9. Practice mindfulness
10. Encourage your hobbies
So, next time you go to use social media, pause for a while and evaluate the cause or the motivation for doing so. Your experience is certainly going to be very different.
