Social media has become so integral in our lives that we can no longer deny its impact on our mental health. Although social media platforms provide supportive communities where you can interact with like-minded people, excessive use of them can quickly turn sour and lead to increased stress levels, anxiety, and depression. Content creators should also understand how their interaction with the audience affects them mentally.
In the quest for online success, some content creators may be tempted to rely, for example, on a Twitter growth service to boost their follower count, but it’s crucial to consider the potential toll it might take on their mental well-being amidst the pursuit of popularity. Here are how SM platforms affect people and how to go about them.
Addictive Effects
Have you ever looked at how many hours you spend every week on social media? You’ll be shocked at what you find out. Many people spend more than 40 hours a week surfing social platforms. Moreover, studies have shown that some people experience some kind of withdrawal when social media is taken away from them.
Although there’s still ongoing research about the addictive effects of social media, anecdotal evidence suggests that those who over-rely on digital devices and these platforms report increased anxiety when they are stopped from using them.
False Sense of Being Social
It’s pretty easy to get caught in the delusion of thinking that your social media friends are your friends. However, at the end of the day, many of these social friends may not be there for you when you need physical interaction or real social support.
People with little real friendships also report feeling lonely when they log off social platforms. This can lead to mental health issues such as depression and loneliness. That’s why it’s important to form connections with actual human beings you meet and talk to.
Unhealthy Comparison
Studies have shown that social media posts can lead to feelings of low self-worth and inadequacy about your appearance or lifestyle. This mainly stems from comparing your life to the lives of influencers or social media stars who only upload glamorous posts.
Although we know that many of these posts are manipulative, people often feel envious and insecure about their success in life afterward. You are also more likely to feel the need to create posts highlighting an affluent lifestyle or try to impress others with posts about success and accomplishments.
While celebrating your achievements is a good idea, you shouldn’t keep up with your friends or influencers who post about their tropical holidays and expensive cars. If these posts weigh heavy on you and affect you negatively, it’s best to unfollow such celebrities and friends and instead follow other pages that may help you grow your career or investments.
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is one of the top disadvantages that come with social media. More than 50% of children aged between 10 and 17 have admitted that they have been receiving hurtful and mean comments online more than once. Social media gives people the chance to create anonymous accounts, and this has led to some people becoming online bullies and harassing others online.
Although you can never fully protect your kids from cyberbullying, you can take measures to reduce it, such as creating kid accounts on platforms and filtering content that may not be suitable for kids. Also, avoid engaging bullies and report them to the website admins.
The Positives of Social Media
Despite all these negative issues, it’s not all dark and gloom on social media. There are a lot of advantages to using social platforms for personal growth and business. Here are a few of them:
- Social media helps you build a network of people who share similar interests. For example, Facebook has groups and pages for all topics, including relationships, cars, and global news.
- You can promote worthwhile causes on most social platforms. Nowadays, people are raising funds and awareness on sensitive topics and important issues on social media by posting about them or holding live sessions.
- You can seek emotional support or offer it to those who need it. Are you going through a difficult time and need words of encouragement from those who have been through similar trials? Social channels can help you find helpful groups that give you hope that you, too, will get through tough times.
- Lastly, social media is an outlet for creativity and expression. Today, all kinds of content creators on social platforms do entertaining and informative content.
Conclusion
How social media affects your mental health is determined by how you use the platforms and the content you interact with. If you want to experience a positive impact, start by joining groups or following pages that align with your interests. Secondly, limit how much time you spend scrolling on your timeline. If you can master control of these two things, gaining helpful information from social media becomes easier without getting lost in it.
