By Sahr Ahmed
Social networks have become an inalienable part of people’s everyday lives with the development of information technology. The advent of Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, and many other platforms has led to significant changes in the ways people interact, share, and express themselves. There is also a downside to this constant connectivity, especially to one’s mental health. The time spent on social media platforms when keeping in touch, liking, commenting, and sharing posts leaves much to be discussed regarding its effect on the population’s psychological state and means to receive it with no harm.
A Study on Effects of Societal Media on Psychological Health
As we all know, social media has various advantages, including communication with friends and finding new concepts, but it creates several threats to mental health. Here are some of the key ways social media affects mental health:
1. Comparison Culture
Comparison is rife in social media as people compare their lives with those portrayed on social media platforms. This can in turn result in some negative issues such as poor self-esteem, low self-esteem, and anxiety. Stress is an issue that many people can experience due to such unrealistic standards set by those ideals in society in terms of worth.
Tip for Balance:
This is because instead of developing a tendency to compare ourselves with others, we should concentrate on sharing and relating to others through such social media platforms. Remember, social media is not a complete projection of that person's life; rather, it is generally a snapshot of their best moments.
2. FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
It establishes a culture of fear of missing out on some experiences, events, or certain trends. FOMO in turn contributes to increased stress and anxiety because one needs to be active in all happenings that occur online.
Tip for Balance:
Reduce the hours you engage in social media particularly when you are busy with activities such as working, eating, or taking a nap. Shift the attention from what others are doing to try and be present in your life.
3. Cyberbullying and Negative Interactions
Cyberbullying, trolling, and negative comment feeds are widely seen on social media platforms where individuals spend a lot of their time. These interactions can evoke secondary emotions, trigger anti-social behavior, and deprave one’s mental health.
Tip for Balance:
Moderate your interactions by unfollowing or blocking accounts that produce negative emotions in you. Pay attention to what is being posted and promoted and always bear in mind that no one is forcing you to engage in those content.
4. Sleep Disruption
Most individuals take their phones to bed and spend time browsing through the different social media platforms ‘relaxing’. However, this behavior may lead to disturbances in the sleep cycle and cause insomnia. Melatonin production is disrupted by lights from screens, especially blue light hence making it harder to go to sleep.
Tip for Balance:
Practice switching off digital devices one hour before you sleep to be able to have a good sleep. As all these activities require concentration, do so during that time or better still, spend reading, meditating, or journaling.
5. Addiction to Social Media
No wonder that negative consequences appeared together with the increased use of social networks – addiction. The flow of messages, likes, and comments creates the dopamine effect which means people check it constantly and recheck it even more. This overuse can lead to reduced efficiency, reduced levels of concentration, and even changes in mood.
Tip for Balance:
Some of the measures include; Limit the amount of time you spend using social networks. The use of apps or your phone’s built-in screen time tracker to control and limit the time spent online.
Measures for Keeping It Real in the Context of New Social Networking
It is something of significance to keep a balance between the use of social media and the health of the mind. Here are some actionable strategies for a more mindful approach to social media:
1. Set Boundaries
Define when and how you are going to use social networks. This could mean avoiding the use of social media during meals, before going to bed or taking a complete break from it over the weekend.
2. Practice Mindful Usage
Use social media with a purpose. Before initiating the next session or any other activity that involves using a computer, pause and think of why you are logging on to the computer. Is it bonding with friends, searching for inspiration, or passing the time? If it is the latter, then do something more rewarding.
3. Curate Your Feed
Do not let others dictate how you want to see your social media feed, take charge. This means that you should not follow people that make you feel bad, or inspire you to compare yourself to them. Otherwise, engage with the profiles which you want to see, that have a good effect on mental health, or share your values.
4. Take Breaks
Certainly, taking breaks from social media is something that should be done as it helps in clearing up one’s mind. It is suggested to take a break from the screen at least 2-3 hours a day to regain your energy. During such time, one can opt to perform some off-line activities like doing exercises, going out in the sunlight, or practicing meditation.
5. Engage in Real-Life Connections
The beauty of common social networks is based on virtual communication, but it is necessary to work on the physical one. Discuss with people in person and spend some time with your friends and family as this improves the mental state of a person and reduces loneliness.
Conclusion of Mental Health and Social Media
There are a lot of advantages you can reap from social media; you just have to be wise in using it. Negative impacts of using social media every day on health can be avoided by taking some measures alongside others such as; setting boundaries on screen time, being mindful, and being involved in real-life interactions. There is no doubt that social media is helpful, but to get the best of it, you need to take an active approach to tackle the negatives which include the following; ensuring that you maintain a balance between the online and the physical world, then you can effectively use social media without compromising your mental health.
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