Social Media and Its Effects On Humans
Social Media makes it easier than ever to connect with family, friends, share content, build new relationships, etc. In today’s society, social media is becoming such a huge tool for every generation from young to old but believe it or not, it is having some negative effects on us as human beings all around.
The increased use of social media in today’s society makes it harder to communicate in person and develop real social lives. Some people base all of their social interactions online and they may think that a lot of friends on social media means the same in reality.
According to Forbes.com, more friends on social media doesn’t necessarily mean that you have a healthy social life. Getting real social interactions are very important because virtual interactions don’t provide the same necessary feelings you get during real time with friends.
Another big problem surrounding social media is it eventually becoming addictive, causing people to not even be able to put their electronic devices down. Social media is often described as being more addictive than cigarettes and alcohol. The top social media sites for this addiction happen to be Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.
There’s various reasons why or how someone can become addicted to social media and it’s different for everyone. People become addicted to the attention they get from social media whether it’s likes or comments. These things make people feel good and if they aren’t getting it in real life, it draws them into depending on social media for reassurance or self-esteem.
It was also mentioned in the blog post that another common reason for addiction is FOMO, which is fear of missing out. They feel as though they constantly have to check social media to see what others have going on. When they can’t check it is when people begin to experience symptoms of withdrawal, which can really make it hard on someone.
One of the main problems surrounding social media that seems really hit the younger audience is that it can begin to negatively affect people’s moods. It is said that the more we use social media, the less happy we tend to be.. A study done at U of M, found that the more people used Facebook, the more their moods dropped.
The hyper-connectedness of social media is what can cause anxiety. When users detach themselves from their mobile devices and social media accounts, they may begin to feel anxious.
A study was conducted which had people report their own time on social media per day. From there, they were assessed using the PROMIS depression scale. From this experiment, they concluded that social media was significantly associated with depression.
If at any point someone feels like social media is taking a toll on their life whether it’s mentally, physically, etc. it’s best to get the necessary help, or take the needed breaks and recuperate.
