Effects Of Social Media On Mental Health #CauseAChatter #MentalHealthTalks

How Social Media Affects Mental Health?

We are living in the era of a rapidly growing digitally equipped era. Where the lives of all age groups, especially youths, have been hijacked by social media. Studies claim that emotional dependency on Social media like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Whatsapp, Snapchat aggravates mental health, leading to anxiety, depression, loneliness, suicidal tendency, complex feeling, etc. in person.

In addition to that, it may hamper the persistent lifestyle of a person. Nevertheless, Social media is becoming a matter of concern nowadays. Social Media is a boon if handled wisely, with the right intent, the right choice of words. On the flip side, addiction or insane usage can trigger propellant disasters. Excessive use of SM cripples the tendency to interact with the person in the real world.

Irrelevant or relevant comparison behavior by an individual generates the next level of menace that comes with the package of insane use of social media. A conscious involvement in the rat race of nuances show off on social media ends in the pathetic exertion of mind and body, which often turn into a traumatic situation.

Causes Of Over Use Of Social Media

Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO): In fear of missing out on anything around us, we keep sneaking to online portals every hour. This habit makes us busy wasting our crucial time and holding unnecessary worries.

Dwelling In Virtual World: High desires and the absence of hard work make the person living in a dreamland. That results in endless surfing like, what he wants to be? How he wants to look? The life one wishes for apparently, full of comfort life.

Excess Idle Time: Too much idle time, excellent internet services, motiveless life, lack of willingness to do something on own, all factors push any fit person to the madness of social media.

Unawareness Of Self- Potential: An individual doesn’t pay heed to recognize his/her own potential or talent in chasing the do’s of online buddies and copying them from every nook and corner.

Over Ambition: When an individual is over-ambitious or, rather say, overloaded with aspirations, he knows the value of growth; he wants to be updated with everything happening around him personally, professionally, and socially. He wants to shine in every corner; he takes the plunge to learn everything from parallel to center, he too ends up spending too much time on Social media. At the cost of mental peace.

How To Get Hold Over The Addiction Of Social Media:

Set the time limit: The first step towards the addiction could be taken by putting off the notifications of Social Media apps. Next, set the screen hour timer on apps that will also give you a checklist about your weekly/daily engagements on it. In Addition to that, remove few apps from your mobile to limit online sneaking. And last but not least, keep your phone away from your bed before bedtime. These four major choices will give sure-shot positive changes to the mental health of an individual.

Add an outdoor walk to your routine: No doubt Pandemic has made us spend most of the time indoor, which left us with numerous Physical and mental health issues, for instance, weight gain, blurry vision due to excessive use of gadgets. Moreover, being panic others achievements and updates on social media. At this moment, a small nature walk comes as a rescue.

Find a small doodle window: Even though if you are not an artist, doodling is something that fills colors to the boring routine of non-artist like me. It will keep you busy doing something far better than surfing over SM.

Set your week/weekend goals: Have some To-Do list off to digital world it could be cuisine list, exploring new visiting spots in your surroundings, it could be a small visit to malls/farmer markets, trekking or Fitbit running goals, potlucks, or anything that could keep you busy in staying away from the social media. Put all your efforts into accomplishing those.

Join some fun club/activity club/ Volunteer Activity: The most lucrative way to keep yourself fruitfully engaged. Join something that matches your interest or hobby. Or lend your hand in helping others by volunteering in NGOs, social services, after-school programs, tutoring, and so on.

Have a long list of offline friends than Online buddies: Who doesn’t like the chit-chat with friends, everyone, right! Spending time with friends in person makes the moment even more delightful rather than talking over the phone or online. It doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t talk to online friends, but yes, offline friends mark your presence as a responsible social animal. Studies show that meeting/talking to friends in person makes the adrenaline rush more than talking online.

In a nutshell, today, we can’t deny that social media involvement has become the major factor in losing mental peace. Most of the time, it invites the uncalled unhealthy competition and abundance of negativity that takes a toll on mental wellness.

Do you agree with me? Share your views in the comment box connection Social media and Mental health Issues.

‘This post is a part of Blogchatter’s CauseAChatter.’ 

Copyright © Archana Srivastava

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21 thoughts on “Effects Of Social Media On Mental Health #CauseAChatter #MentalHealthTalks”

  1. You have addressed an important issue here and one which has become bigger after the pandemic. I like some of the solutions you have given, especially, fixing a time cap and having many offline friends.

  2. Social Media effects our health for sure. I have reduced my time for social media because we need to focus more on life and betterment of mental peace.

  3. As a social media influencer myself I go so many times up’s and down with my mood with my every post which is really not right I feel we should balance our thought process and learn to be stable.. Good to read thank you for sharing.

  4. Social media does have I’ll effects on everyone of us. And we all should take a break and go for social media detox by doing some meaningful activities

  5. I agree with you – people need to have lives and interests in the real world too. good suggestions for tackling the social media addiction that i see so many people indulge in. wish more people would read this and be aware and mindful.

  6. For a while now I have been relaising social media is not a healthy thing for your mind. It can create havoc if you do not know how to balance life in real and this virtual world.

  7. This post is invariably something that should be read and followed by everyone on social. media. We are in an era when someone’s potential is assessed based on followers. This is an eye-opener

  8. Social media definitely affects a lot not only mental health but also in relationships. I am so happy you shared such great pointers here..

  9. So true. Social media is not real and what we see is just the happy phase of everyone’s life as no one what’s to share their issues here. So let’s just see and be happy but not forget that real life is much more than that.

  10. I guess for me social media has always been about showcasing or encouraging people. I quite avoid going through posts in detail. Still some posts do make me think and compare to my own life until I realize and stop.

  11. Social media with its nonstop browsing and notifications can be taxing. The FOMO feeling is real and affects the best of us. Some good pointers here to keep it in check.

  12. Apt for the present world! We are indeed living in a virtual world and our friends list online is longer than real life. But, we should also realise that real people is who will stay with you till the end , so learn to embrace real connections.

    I have myself been so addicted to SM that I got pangs of anxety attacks many a times. It stressed for nothing! So, I decided to have a digital detox and I have never been this happier!
    I have learnt to prioritze things now.

  13. I agree dear social media is addictive and causes addition in many people. with overuse, people get develop a tendency to stay in virtual world and lost connection with real world. I feel it is always about setting boundaries and making rules to use any digital medium only in limit, then it will not affect our mental health negatively.

  14. Social media has become an addiction, especially during this time when our social life has gone for a toss. thanks for the tips suggested.

  15. Second your thoughts. Social Media has a big share in mental health. Luckily, I never got into it’s trap so far. I have my boundaries on how to and how much to se social media. But on the other hand, it also gives us motivation when we see people doing so much in their lives. Its al about how we perceive it.

  16. I am going through this, Archana. I really dunno what to do about it.
    Social media has become so toxic for me that I dread posting or sharing anymore. I used to post daily. The pressure exploded and here I am battling my worst yet episode of depression. Its been almost 3 months now but I am not able to recover.

    1. I can feel you, Harjeet, had been through this phase. By following a few steps of determination and a positive attitude, you will also come out as a winner. ❤️

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