How Social Media Affects the Mental Health of Youth?

Social Media has become an integral part of our lives. I agreed, but integral doesn’t mean we can’t live without that. Unfortunately, we can say social media has become an addiction to us not just for youth but for everyone. Why? who makes us addicted to it? Why we are so reliant on social media? In this article, I will share deep facts on how social media affects mental health and how it is playing with our lives. I will also share my personal experience. Stay tuned with me.

First of all, everything has some good aspects and bad aspects too. I am not here for comparing the pros and cons. As I am in the field of medicine, I saw many cases of mental health caused by the overuse of social media.

Why We Have Become Addicted to Social Media?

So first see why we have become so addicted to the use of the internet and social media. The answer is, that it has become easily accessible. You can see the latest phones and technological devices in the hands of children. Who is responsible for that?

On the contrary, If we saw the people of the past, they seemed to be satisfied with their lives, there was no technology, no internet and so no mental issues, and ultimately there was complete satisfaction in their lives. But Today diseases are becoming more resistant, mental issues are more common.

We hand over phones, tablets, and other technical devices to our little children during such an age when they need their parents’ love and attention. Most children pass that age of their lives by seeing cartoons and other kinds of stuff. That’s how we are creating an addiction to the use of social media and the internet.

Unfortunately, Covid enhances this situation. We are already familiar with how in the covid scenario, the world shifted to digitalization. Covid exaggerates these consequences by highlighting the increase in social isolation, TikTok, and other factors.

Social Media is Responsible for Comparison and False Realities:

It's my personal view, that when we spend time on the internet like on youtube or on TikTok, what are our intentions? Actually, we are getting impressed by the second person. This constant comparison makes us feel inferior and ultimately that things affect our mental approach and force us to accept that we are unhappy with our life. This is how social media affects mental health.

You can check by yourself, Open youtube, or any other internet platform, you will see what people are posting. Everyone is portraying the best part of their life. Someone shows luxuries, someone posts about money, etc….

In this way, we feel, our life is not good and this behavior ultimately affects our mind and whole body. So to avoid this, stop comparing your life with others, sometimes we are just looking at one side of the picture. My honest advice to stay happy is

Stop Comparing Yourself with Others, Forget the sorrows, and don’t be Afraid

Solution to this Problem: How We Can Stop Comparing Ourselves with Others

Keep in mind, that sorrows are just for such things that happened in the past, and afraid is for the future. So leave your past behind and stop overthinking about the future. Always hope for good. When we use social media too much we become unnecessarily conscious about everything. For example, when we feel sick we googled it and try to find the cause and sometimes google terrifies us by giving unrelated info because cases can be different for every patient. So, in this case, we start thinking too much and ultimately our mind disturbs.

How Social Media Affects Mental Health By Diverting Attention

This scenario is not just for youth or students but for everyone out there. I am addressing you who are currently reading this article. Man! your Life is Precious so don't live an aimless life. Everyone has a goal in life but achieving your target is not simple. You have to put your efforts to meet your aim.

Now, how the overuse of the internet and social media can affect mental health by distracting? You might familiar with Facebook or Instagram. Is there any limit to your social media feed? I don't think so, you are scrolling down and down and so on but there is no end.

Even after you put your phone away, there is something called ‘attention residue’ about what you were just doing on your phone or device.

Some experts coated this as an “Attention Economy” and companies and even people whom you are watching taking your attention and time and are earning through but you just earning failure because you are not focusing on your goals.

Netflix doesn’t cost you some $/monthly in fact it costs you time.

Social Media is not free, It costs your focus.

In fact, I think;

There is always a Hidden Cost. Keep remembering, When something is free, You are the Product.

Solution to this Problem: How We Can Stay Focus on Our Goals?

There is a simple solution to this issue. Just make a solid oath to your mind that I will not spend too much time on idle things. When a person makes a firm decision in doing anything, there is no force that can stop it.

So you can stop social media from distracting you by taking some actions that I am going to enlist below

1- Limit Your Scroll

2- Just See Valuable Post

3- Follow the Right People

4- Consider the Importance of Your Time

5- Avoid Screen Time Right When You Wake Up and Before Bed

6- Most Importantly Build Relationships Outside the Internet

Social Media Creates Anxiety and Depression Issues

More social media use, nocturnal social media use, and emotional involvement in social media, such as being upset when you can’t log on, were all associated with poorer sleep quality and higher levels of anxiety and despair, according to a 2016 research on more than 450 teenagers.

How Social Media is responsible for anxiety and Depression? The answer is when we start comparing our lives with others, we start bullying ourselves like I am skinny, I am poor… etc. The impact of social media on our mental health can be devastating because it can create stress, and depression, especially in youth. And stress is the main trigger of most diseases.

Solution: How to Prevent Depression Issues in Children and Youth?

It’s crucial to educate kids about the deception of social media. Youth must have a good, balanced relationship with their phones as well as spend time with their families.

Finally, parents may guide their children in finding a balance between the actual world and the online world.

Learn 5 Amazing Mindfulness Ways to Relieve Stress and Anxiety Fast

Other Mental Health Issues Because of Social Media:

Additionally, social networking carries several dangers, such as the fear of missing out (FOMO)
being exposed to unsuitable, uncomfortable, or even traumatic content
exposure to online predators erroneous information accessibility
exposure to online harassment.

Conclusion:

How Social Media Affects Mental Health is the most discussed topic among health practitioners.

While social media may be useful in times of isolation, it also has some drawbacks. However, with sincere introspection and prudent management, it is still feasible to benefit from social media’s beneficial aspects.

Focusing on connections both online and offline will help adults and kids get the most out of their time spent on social media.

Note:

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As a medical student, it is my goal to make people aware of the significance of maintaining physical health. Whenever I have the time, I write the most. If you have any questions, you may reach me at officialdr.muneeb@gmail.com