Facebook is killing you!
I think I was about 16 when I first signed up for Facebook. Now, however, I think that perhaps I should’ve waited a bit longer. Social media is such a huge part of our lives now, for instance, I have Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest and Twitter. Who knows how long I spend on Instagram, I don’t. I use at least two of these to communicate with my family and friends that I don’t live close to, and even those I do. It’s hard to believe that these forums could have a negative outcome.
The world population is at 7.6 billion and almost half of that population (over 3 billion) are on some type, if not all, of social media¹. Social media is still relatively new and growing. To think, it didn’t start hitting off until 2006², but since then it’s continuing to become more and more common for us to use. But do we know how harmful it actually is?
Let’s start with what social media is. The dictionary defines it as “websites and other online means of communication that are used by large groups of people to share information and to develop social and professional contacts”³. This definition states that this kind of communication is used to share information and develop contacts, not for a way of social interaction.
The most popular social medias are: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Snapchat; spending countless hours every day on these sites⁴. Of the 3+ billion of us that use social media, Facebook is the most commonly used. As you can see, from the graph below, Facebook dominates with daily activation¹, claiming the majority of the social networking population.
On average, users spend 950 million hours on Facebook every day⁵, all that time staring a screen ‘being social’. More, like scrolling through endless pictures, statuses, videos and advertisements, never actually ‘laughing out loud’.
Surely messaging and engaging in conversations over these platforms is socialising. Well, according to a study, we spend more time on social media than we do actually socialising. Isn’t that ironic⁶! So, what’s the difference? Socialising is to “make fit for life in companionship with others”⁷. Social media doesn’t encourage companionship. In fact, according to another study, teens using social media fail to practice essential skills to socialise, which makes it very difficult to build empathy and compassion, characteristics that reduce bullying⁸, therefore stunting the emotional development of youth.
Loneliness and social isolation (lack of human connection) is one of the biggest killers⁹ and a growing public concern. Social media, is a training ground for exclusion. Studies have found that these forums increase feelings of social isolation¹⁰, enhanced insecurity, minimise engagement with others, and dismantle relationships⁴. Social media seems to act like an amplifier to anxiety and depression¹¹; effecting such aspects as: Stress, mood, anxiety¹², depression, sleep, addiction, attention span¹³, self-esteem, well-being, memory, relationships, envy, and loneliness⁴. That level of damage to our minds could level the effects of drug and alcohol misuse¹⁴.
So, how do we conquer that? Susan Pinker, a longevity researcher, stated “Face-to-face contact releases neurotransmitters that foster trust, reduce stress, kill pain and induce pleasure¹⁵.” I guess the best defence we have against the threat of social media is to take out the media, put down the phone and build some essential socialising skills.
If I had known this before I’d logged into Facebook, perhaps I would’ve spent more time with my peers, learning how to make friends and be more outgoing. Perhaps I would’ve limited my use of it, or even forgone the sign up and waited until much later on. I am wiser now. I won’t get rid my social media but I will be more cautious of how I use it.
References
1. Hatch, Cydney. 12th March 2018. “Be in the Know: 2018 Social Media Statistics You Should Know”. Disruptive Advertising. https://www.disruptiveadvertising.com/social-media/be-in-the-know-2018-social-media-statistics-you-should-know/
2. Conference Call. 3rd May October 2018. “How Long Has Social Media Been Around?”. Conference Call. https://www.conferencecall.co.uk/blog/how-long-has-social-media-been-around/
3. Dictionary. “Social-Media”. Dictionary. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/social-media
4. Brown, Jessica. 5th January 2018. “Is Social Media Bad For You? The Evidence and the unknowns”. BBC. http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20180104-is-social-media-bad-for-you-the-evidence-and-the-unknowns
5. Levy, Adam. 6th February 2018. “People Still Spend an Absurd Amount of Time on Facebook”. The Motley Fool, LLC. https://www.fool.com/investing/2018/02/06/people-still-spend-an-absurd-amount-of-time-on-fac.aspx
6. Cohen, David. 22nd March 2017. “How Much Time Will the Average Person Spend on Social Media During Their Life? (Infographic)”. Adweek. https://www.adweek.com/digital/mediakix-time-spent-social-media-infographic/
7. Dictionary. “Socialize” Dictionary. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/socialize?s=t
8. Hurley, Katie. 13th February 2018. “Social Media and Teens: How Does Social Media Affect Teenagers’ Mental Health”. Psycom. https://www.psycom.net/social-media-teen-mental-health
9. Sandoiu, Ana. 6th March 2017. “Social Media Users More Likely To Feel Isolated, Study Finds”. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/316206.php?sr in relation to social media.
Whiteman, Honor. 6th August 2017. “Loneliness A Bigger Killer Than Obesity, Say Researchers.” Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318723.php
10. Walton, Alice G. 30th June 2017. “6 Ways Social Media Affects Our Mental Health”. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2017/06/30/a-run-down-of-social-medias-effects-on-our-mental-health/#3b86bf062e5a
11. Papadopoulos, Dr. Linda. 12th April 2017. “How does social media impact the mental health of young people?”. Internet Matter. https://www.internetmatters.org/hub/expert-opinion/social-media-impact-mental-health-young-people/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwd3Jmc373QIVSYXVCh1KcQ_3EAAYASAAEgIYtPD_BwE
12. The Week. 18th June 2018. “Fact Check: Is social media bad for your mental health?” The Week. http://www.theweek.co.uk/checked-out/90557/is-social-media-bad-for-your-mental-health
13. Barr, Sabrina. 11th October 2018, “Six Ways Social Media Negatively Affects Your Mental Health”. Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/social-media-mental-health-negative-effects-depression-anxiety-addiction-memory-a8307196.html
14. Rao, Tony. 12th June 2017. “Social Media is as harmful as alcohol and drugs for Millennials.” The Coversation. http://theconversation.com/social-media-is-as-harmful-as-alcohol-and-drugs-for-millennials-78418
15. Pinker, Susan. 4th September 2017. “The Secret to Living Longer May Be Your Social Life”. TED. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptIecdCZ3dg
