The digital revolution has changed the world in many ways. In fact, the world is transforming in unprecedented ways. The revolution is influencing almost every aspect of life and affect you mental health and wellness. The way we think, behave, learn, connect, and work, everything is changing fast. Mobile technology has made computing accessible to everyone and has therefore changed the way we live. Surprising developments are taking place.
Mobiles are fundamentally altering how we interact with the world and each other. Smartphones have evolved into powerful pocket computers, giving wide access to information, entertainment, and so on. Mobiles have revolutionized social media by making it instantly accessible, connected, and deeply integrated into our daily lives.
Today, it is almost impossible to live without using social media in our day-to-day lives. Although it provides people with an opportunity to connect and share their thoughts and feelings, there are many adverse effects of using this platform.
This article aims to discuss the hidden threats of social media and their effects on the mental and emotional state of a person.
The Double-Edged Sword of Social Media
Some of the social media platforms include Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, which have changed the way of communicating with others. It helps people to have easy and fast communication with their loved ones, share photos and videos, and interact with other people. But this integration also has its darker side.
According to the studies, the negative impact of social media use can result in different mental health problems. Research conducted by the U.S. Surgeon General pointed out that students who spend more than three hours on social media are two times more likely to have negative mental health outcomes, including anxiety and depression.
There are 2 other research studies that support the idea that social media is bad for mental health. The first is the Lancet Study (2019) regarding the impact of social media on adolescent mental health. The study gathered data from 10,000 adolescents in the UK and discovered that the frequency of the use of social media is directly related to the poor mental health of adolescents, especially girls. Spending more time on social media was associated with higher incidences of anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders.
The negative effects were not only from screen time but also from cyberbullying, unrealistic comparisons, and sleep deprivation. (Source: Kelly, Y., Zilanawala, A., Booker, C., & Sacker, A. 2019: Social media use and adolescent mental health: Findings from the Millennium Cohort Study, published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health)
The second one is the JAMA Psychiatry Study (2021) on ‘Social Media Use and Depression in Young Adults.’ This study was carried out on 1,787 young adults (19–32 years old) and determined that those who spent more than 3 hours per day on social media were two times more likely to be depressed and anxious than those with little use. Social media makes loneliness feel real because it takes away from other people, comparing themselves with others, and creating the FOMO (fear of missing out) effect. The source of this information is Primack, B. A., McClain, C. M., et al. (2021).
Both these studies show that the use of social media has adverse effects on mental health and wellness, especially if the usage is high or passive. The main problems are comparison, cyberbullying, and disturbed sleep patterns.
The Distress of Social Comparison
The main effect of social media and mental health is comparison, widely affecting the younger population. People usually post only the best parts of their lives, the successful and joyful moments. This can make people who watch it feel negative about themselves and depressed.
According to Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S. Surgeon General, "Social media can enhance feelings of inadequacy and isolation." This results in the issue relating to FOMS, i.e., fear of missing something, which only worsens the situation as people feel that they are being left behind in life. This continuous comparison may result in increased incidents of anxiety and depression, especially among the youth.
Cyberbullying: Another risk that is associated with social media is cyberbullying. The victim can be harassed in public and 24/7, unlike traditional bullying. On many occasions, the victims feel helpless, as they have no way to escape until the session ends.
A study was carried out on cyberbullying among children 10–12 years old. The results showed that cyberbullying victims had higher levels of social anxiety symptoms and depressive symptoms. This is required for the immediate redressal of the problem of online bullying.
Digital Addiction: The social media platforms are now run by giant algorithms, which are now influencing our behavior in many ways. These programs are shaping how we connect, behave, and perceive the reality around us. The designers of these complex algorithms aim to optimize our engagement. They are showing us the content that we want to see. The social media platform floods us with the same types of videos we watch. As a result, people are spending excessive time on the screen.
As per the research, the constant pursuit of likes and validation leads to digital addiction, which impacts our mental well-being. A systematic review further showed that the use of social media increases the risk of anxiety and depression among students due to the high level of time spent on these platforms. These sites are very addictive and can limit people’s communication with others in the real world, which is important for good mental health.
The Impact on Sleep Quality: Obsessive use of social media is also affecting the quality and duration of sleep. Staying up late in the night to use excessive screen time can lead to poor sleep. Lack of adequate sleep is a major risk factor for some of the mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression. A research study established that students who spent a lot of time on social media had worse quality of sleep.
Tips for Using Social Media in a Healthy Way
As pointed out earlier, obsessive use of social media can impact our mental health in different ways. It is detrimental for our mental well-being. Here are a few important tips that can be helpful for checking excessive usage:
- Set Time Limits: To check the strong urge, we should all set the outer time limit for the usage of different social media platforms. Unless we do this, it will be very difficult to address the problem of social media addiction.
- Curate Your Feed: Try to like and follow pages or sites that give positivity and feelings of well-being. We should avoid those that negatively affect us.
- Engage Mindfully: Whenever we feel social media interaction is not adding any value and wasting time unnecessarily, we should become mindful and stop using it. Mindful means we are fully aware of what is happening inside us. If social media aggravates our feelings, it would be worthwhile to take a short break.
- Seek Social Support: If you are already experiencing some mental health issues, then excessive use of social media can further aggravate the problem. If that happens, then you should urgently contact a mental health professional for further advice and assistance.
(Also Read: Handling Social Media Addiction for Mental Health.)
Conclusion:
Our lives, AI, and social media are now deeply intertwined. We must be conscious enough to realize the impact of obsessive use of mobile devices and social media. Both directly and indirectly, our mental health suffers. Some countries are banning school-going children from using social media. In India, Instagram is taking steps in the same direction.
According to the psychologist Sherry Turkle, “Technology doesn’t just change what we do; it changes who we are.” And as we keep on disclosing our digital selves, it is important to be conscious of our mental health in this digital world.
At The Mind Therapy, we help you find a sanctuary from these overwhelming digital influences. Our holistic healing center focuses on empowering you to regain control over your mental well-being. Through practices such as yoga, meditation techniques, and sound therapy, we help you reconnect with your inner peace, reduce stress, and improve your mental health.
Our Mental health and Wellness therapy programs are designed to address the underlying issues caused by social media distractions, such as anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances. Whether through our in-person sessions or Online Therapy Counseling, we ensure personalized support from the best therapist in Delhi, offering guidance and healing through mindful practices.
