Mental health is one of the biggest problems that probably many individuals are facing in our messed-up modern world.
You must have noticed how harsh, and unfriendly society has become.
Recent studies have proven that social media might be the main reason people are feeling down lately, making teenagers unhappy and non-grateful for the things they already have.
In this blog, we will be diving deep into the mental health subject and its relation to social media, as well as discover together how is social media hurting your mental health.
Why mental health matters
Mental health refers to emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It is the primary factor that influences how we think, feel about people, and act in various situations. It assists individuals in determining how they handle stress, relate to others, and make decisions.
Mental health care is essential at all stages of life, from childhood to teenage years and maturity, because it is an integral aspect of your life and influences your thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. If you have mental health problems throughout your life, it could affect your thinking, mood, and behavior but being emotionally healthy can increase productivity and efficiency in activities such as your job tasks, school, and compassionate behavior. Mental health is critical to the quality of your relationships and allows you to adapt to life events and deal with adversity.
How is social media hurting Your mental health?
The point that technology reached today and the available social media platforms do offer us greater convenience and advantages such as staying connected with our friends and family members, having quick and easy access to information, looking for employment opportunities, making money from Instagram and other platforms, and many other things that make our life much easier and enjoyable. However, along with the good comes the bad. Even if social media can be a good thing, it still causes a range of potential issues when it comes to how people behave within society and mental health issues.
- Social media constantly feed us what we don’t have: Seeing happy couples on Instagram, witnessing friends making major career strides or someone flaunting their luxurious home and impressive wardrobe does seriously affect people to the point where we see that no one is appreciating what they have and thinking they are lucky anymore. Teenagers and Adults who watch user’s Instagram stories and posts forget to have a reality check from time to time and they constantly compare what they see online such as how other influencers and celebrities are living and forget that what is represented online is never the full story and they must start seeing things from different perspectives.
- Social media has drained our social skills: Our excessive dependence and addiction to social media platforms have drained the essence of society in a variety of ways. Social media has resulted in a significant decrease in interactions with people in person, and individuals have become more closeminded which is causing our social skills to suffer greatly. We have also become more preoccupied with our online presence and growing Instagram followers than with those around us in the actual world. This lack of connection with real-life people causes a variety of mental health difficulties, including depression and anxiety, which are the most common problems among addicted youth.
- Social media has caused insecurities for many people: Many people rely on social media platforms to gain recognition and approval from others for their appearance. The thing is, once you launch yourself on these apps you will be getting both negative and positive comments connected to your body image which can raise some issues especially since many people are particularly sensitive to this. Studies have shown that most college girls who use Facebook and instagram everyday day are likely to base their self-esteem on their appearance and social media just serves as an entry point for it, worsening the body image issue. It also encourages the same type of behavior in others.
Q&A
How does social media affect our mental health?
Using social media more frequently leads to increasing feelings of unworthiness, dissatisfaction, and loneliness. In turn, these feelings harm your mental health, especially your mood, and can cause symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress.
Can social media cause social anxiety?
The primary link between social anxiety disorder and social media is the absence of in-person interactions. While communicating with others through a screen can provide comfort to someone with social anxiety, it does harm their ability to communicate with individuals in person.
What are the effects of social media?
Multiple researchers have found a significant connection between excessive use of social media platforms and mental health, including an increased risk of depression, self-harm, anxiety, and loneliness.
Why it is important to Take care of your mental health?
Mental health affects our ideas, behaviors, and emotions. When we are psychologically healthy, we enjoy life more and care about our surroundings and the people around us. We may also be more creative, learn, and experiment with new things, as well as deal with challenging circumstances in our personal lives.
