Youth or an adult, everybody is glued to social media today. The constant scrolling through reels and shorts during leisure time is a common sight.
Platforms such as X, Instagram, and Facebook function as virtual hubs for sharing experiences and thoughts and connecting with family, friends, and acquaintances. It has indeed revolutionized the way we interact and live our lives.
However, social media can hurt mental health. Excessive use of Instagram or TikTok has made people prone to social isolation, a lack of self-esteem, and poor lifestyle choices. It has also made teens fall prey to cyberbullying, which leads to excess anxiety, stress, and depression.
In this article, we will discuss how social media affects your mental health and what you can do to eliminate these adverse effects.
Understanding the Impact of Social Media on Mental Health
In May 2023, Forbes News reported that the total number of social media users worldwide was 4.9 billion. This number might increase to nearly 5.85 billion users by 2027. That means, more people will be affected by the dark side of social media.
Are you wondering if social media seriously harms your mental health? The answer is a resounding yes. And it starts with subtle behavioral shifts that you might not consider a side effect at first.
For instance, if you don’t log in to your Facebook profile once a day, you might feel that you aren’t clued into what’s happening. This is termed ‘FOMO,’ meaning the ‘fear of missing out.’ Also, if you see your friend visiting an exotic destination, you might feel the urge to take a trip. This, too, is another example of FOMO.
That aside, there are other negatives to social media, such as:
Negative Body Image
When you keep on viewing the idealized images of others’ bodies and lives, you tend to compare yourself with them. You feel that if you don’t look a certain way or have a specific body type and weight, you aren’t smart or beautiful. This creates self-doubt, which makes you view your body and self negatively.
Cyberbullying
The latest study done in 2023 reported that 26.5% of students shared they had witnessed cyberbullying. Social media is the breeding ground for this. Some of the common types experienced by them include:
- 77.5% said someone posted mean online comments.
- 70.4% experienced mean online rumors.
- 69.1% felt online humiliation and embarrassment.
- 66.4% said they were intentionally excluded from a group chat or text.
- 55.5% shared that people repeatedly contacted them after they asked not to do so.
In 2016, nearly 10.3% of students shared that they didn’t feel like going to school because of the fear of cyberbullying. In 2023, the number shot up to 19.2%. It’s natural for these students and anybody being cyberbullied to feel anxious, stressed, and depressed.
Social Media Addiction
Scrolling through the reels and other social media content releases dopamine, which is a feel-good chemical in the brain. Naturally, people would want to have more of this, which makes them addicted to social media. It automatically leads to losing a connection with real-time friends and losing interest in studying or a job, which leads to poor grades or questionable productivity at work.
These side effects seem to be harmless at first. But if not managed correctly, then it can affect your mental health and life.
Steps to Eliminate the Side Effects of Social Media
Anything in excess yields negative outcomes. TruLaw states that increased screen time can develop feelings of depression and loneliness. It also creates pressure to appear perfect online, which results in poor self-esteem. And constant self-comparison can generate feelings of inadequacy.
Therefore, the solution is to keep a balance to avoid the negative impacts of social media. Some ways to accomplish that are:
Dedicate Time for Social Media Browsing
Typically, we log into our social media frequently in between meetings or even an Uber ride. And that creates the rise and fall of dopamine.
It affects our mental health by making us alternate between feeling good and low within short intervals. To reduce or eradicate this, it is necessary to allot a specific time for social media scrolling.
Give yourself 15 to 30 minutes a day to browse your Instagram or Facebook profile, and limit it to that. That way, you can connect with those you want to and also not get addicted.
Unfollow Profiles That Trigger Negative Emotions
Now that you have given yourself a specific time to browse social media, make sure you dwell on the positives. Several profiles are posting varied content. Make sure that you don’t follow accounts that promote feelings of hate, discontent, negativity, and pessimism. Therefore, unrealistic posts about staying wrinkle-free all your life or losing a substantial amount of weight in three days must be avoided.
This will allow you to stay pragmatic and focused in your life. You will enjoy the entertainment quotient of social media and not fall for its false gimmicks.
Use Social Media to Connect and Grow
One of the best features of social media is that it allows you to come across people you haven’t met physically and who can inspire you. Therefore, use your browsing time to search for and connect with such people.
If you have a plan to plant more trees in your locality, check out the non-profits and other associations that can help you with this. Search for influential people who have already done that and connect with them and network.
It will help you come across meaningful people who have dedicated their lives to a cause. This will enable you to grow in your life in exponential ways.
Don’t Scroll Before You Sleep
Not sleeping well can affect your quality of life. Make sure that you don’t browse Instagram or Facebook before you go to sleep. Even if you are using social media for the best reasons, it still increases dopamine levels. While it is essential to sleep with good thoughts, an excess of this chemical, too, can affect your sleep cycle.
Therefore, ensure that you complete your browsing an hour or two before you sleep. That way, you can get into a healthy sleeping pattern, which will help you stay active and focused the next day at work.
In conclusion, you decide how you want to plan your life. The same principle applies to social media. You have both the positives and the negatives to choose and decide what you want to maximize. By following the tips mentioned above, you can quench your urge to browse social media and not get affected by its dark side. It will help you stay balanced and secure your mental health.
