Impacts Of Social Media On Mental Health
In this fast-growing world, social media has become an integral part of our lives. It provides us with several platforms on which we can showcase our skills. These skills can be anything like dancing, cooking, singing, etc. The way we connect, share, and communicate with others has changed considerably because of social media. There are several pros and cons of using social media. In this article, we will thoroughly discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using social media. So make sure to read the complete article for better understanding and knowledge.
What is Social Media?
The online portal that allows its users to create and share content and helps in networking with other people is called social media. Through social media, we connect with several people, which not only improves our communication skills but also makes us comfortable in sharing content or information. Social media includes several apps and websites where we can post our pictures and videos to get connected with people.
Impacts Of Social Media On Mental Health:
Good Impacts Of Social Media:
Everything has its pros and cons. The same is the case for social media as well. Firstly, we will discuss the good impacts of social media on mental health, then we will go for the bad impacts. Let’s dive in and check the advantages of using social media.
- Social Connection And Networking:
Social media is one of the most prominent reasons behind the social connection of people. Through social media, you can connect and interact with a lot of people worldwide. This not only boosts your confidence but also improves your communication skills as well. Connecting with people on social media can help you get rid of loneliness. It not only improves your mood but also provides you with emotional support as well. When you engage in meaningful conversations and meetings on social media, your stress levels reduce as well, thus helping in improving your mental health. So Social media helps in bringing the hearts of people closer to one another.
2. Source Of Information And Awareness:
The biggest source of information and awareness nowadays is social media. The reason behind this is that social media is easily accessible for use. There is no boundary of time and place to use it. You have the freedom to access whenever and wherever you want. Social media highly relies on audience-generated content. People and Organizations share real news and information with the public. Many people share the same information many times. So, it is easy to get information through social media. Social media gives awareness to its users through many ways like advertisements, articles, videos, etc. In this way, social media spreads positivity among people which has a good impact on the mental health of people.
3. Source Of Exposing Myths and Stigmas:
Social media is the platform where people share their experiences and stories. Professionals’ advice from their lives and experiences helps in unveiling many myths and stigmas of society. It helps to erase negativity resulting from traditional myths and creates a positive environment. As positively is important for good mental health, thus social media helps in improving mental health.
4. Endorsement Of Self Improvement And Nurturing:
Many influencers make content about self-improvement and nourishment. They talk about yoga, meditation, and deep breathing. These exercises can prove beneficial in improving mental health and well-being. This not only improves mental health but also contributes to stress reduction which is the basis of good mental health.
The above-mentioned things were about the good impacts of social media on mental health. The bad impacts should also be considered as well. So let’s dive in and look at its bad impacts. So here we start.
Bad Impacts Of Social Media On Mental Health:
Besides social media provides a lot of advantages to its users, disadvantages of social media are also there as well. The drawbacks of social media on mental health are listed below:
- Discrimination And Jealousy:
One of the biggest disadvantages of social media on mental health is jealousy and social comparison. Social media commonly shows the positive and perfect sides of people. As a result, people compare their lives with the perfect lives of influencers. People are becoming ungrateful day by day as social media is becoming a necessary part of our lives. Jealousy and social comparison are the root causes of bad mental health, thus social media badly impacts the mental health of people.
2. Online Harassment:
Social media is the root cause of online harassment. The use of online tools like social media or the internet to threaten or harm people is called online harassment. The intention behind online harassment is to humiliate the emotions of people. Emotional distress plays a very important role in affecting mental health badly, thus social media badly impacts the mental well-being of people.
3. Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO):
By watching social occasions and events, people feel eliminated or missing out. This intuition can be felt by watching social media posts or images, where people feel lonely and anxious. This is one of the biggest drawbacks of social media on mental health. FOMO generally refers to events and occasions, where one feels isolated and wants to be kept updated by other’s lives online.
4. Social Distancing:
By spending too much time on social media, people are becoming lonely. Face-to-face interactions are becoming less these days. People do not want to spend time with their loved ones as they spend a lot of time on social media. As a result, depression and anxiety are becoming common in this digital age. Depression is the most dangerous thing for mental health, thus social media is killing mental health too fast.
5. Obsession And Cravings:
Social media addiction is one of the most rising problems in this digital world. People spend a lot of time scrolling reels and videos. Addiction to anything can be very problematic for this young generation. If one spends a little time without social media, feelings of cravings can be seen commonly. This thing is very damaging not only to mental health but also to physical health as well. Physical health is also badly affected by social media as people scroll while sitting continuously in the same place. Problems like obesity which in turn causes heart problems are also emerging fast. Mental health is also badly affected by its addiction.
6. Privacy Issues:
Privacy is another big issue that is intensely affected by social media. Influencers are constantly making their private lives public by showing daily vlogs or videos that show their lifestyle. Fear of misuse of personal information can cause stress and anxiety, thus contributing to bad mental health.
To conclude, social Media impacts on mental health and well-being both in positive and negative ways. It depends on its users whether they use it in a positive way or a negative way. Positive aspects include awareness, social networking, and self-improvement. In contrast, negative aspects cover addiction, misuse, jealousy, privacy concerns, FOMO, and social distancing. You have the option to use it for your improvement or use it to kill your mental health.
