Social Media and Mental Health: Are We Trading Connection for Chaos?

0 Share

The use of phones, tablets and other digital gadgets seems to be increasing with each passing day. These devices become the doorway to social media.

REFLECTIVE EXERCISE FOR YOU!

1. Do you feel you are more active on social media than in the offline world?

2. Do you find yourself constantly checking different social media applications for no specific purpose?

3. Do you feel your daily activities are getting hampered because of social media usage?

The above-mentioned questions are simply for your reflection and understanding of social media usage. They are not a part of standard assessments; however, just for you to see how your life may be getting influenced because of social media.

The Double-Edged Sword of Social Media

People often describe social media as a double-edged sword because of both the benefits and limitations associated with it. The two edges of social media are briefly discussed below:

POSITIVES

-  Ensuring one is connected via social media channels with family and friends living away

-  Exploring people with similar interests and joining safe communities

-  Discover new information and explore multiple learning sources

NEGATIVES

- Excessive use can lead to a risk of developing mental health concerns

- Decline in self-esteem because of the way others present their lives online

- Risk of developing excessive fear of missing out and social media addiction

The Rise of Social Media and Its Impact on Society

It can be observed that there has been a strong rise in social media usage, especially post-COVID. Nowadays, a new topic of concern is teens and social media usage because the growing age can be influenced by diverse kinds of information available online. Teens also often experience cyberbullying and, therefore, experience mental health concerns.

The Promise of Connection: Building Virtual Communities

Social media promises that it helps people connect. A lot of virtual communities and groups allow people from across the world to know each other and build connections. Multinational companies also use social media to virtually meet their partners, stakeholders, etc, and it helps in saving time and money. At the same time, all these benefits should be utilised cautiously, such as one is monitoring the groups and ensuring the sites are reliable.

The Dark Side: Social Media’s Impact on Mental Health

Some of the ways through which social media can negatively influence mental health include:

1. Deep emotional scars through cyberbullying, especially amongst teens

2. Increased feeling of isolation despite a huge number of social media contacts

3. Increased risk of depression and anxiety because of constant hypervigilance

4. Fear of missing out as one notices others’ lives via social media and compares oneself

5. Uncontrollable use can make one prone to social media addiction

The points shed light on the ways in which social media and mental health are connected with each other

The Psychological Effects of Social Media Use

Social media not only impacts one’s social life but also can influence the psychological aspect. Social media and teen mental health is also important topic of concern, as unlike adults, teens may not be able to filter the content that is useful and that is harming their lives.

Anxiety, Depression, and Social Media Addiction

The constant need to check phones and feeling hypervigilant all the time due to mobile notifications can contribute towards feeling anxious. Mood disorders such as depression and addiction-related concerns can also occur because of excessive and uncontrollable use of social media.

The Pressure to Present a Perfect Life

The life presented on social media can vastly differ from an individual’s real life. One may also experience the pressure to showcase a particular standard of living, specific activities and achievements on social media. This pressure can feel taxing and lead to negative emotional states such as feeling exhausted, sad and lonely.

Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) and Its Consequences

mental health sites can increase FOMO, and thereby, the consequences can be:

1. Low self-esteem

2. Increased anxiety

3. Social media addiction

It is highly recommended that parents monitor teens and social media usage as the adolescents are still in the age where their personality is developing, and FOMO can negatively influence their self-concept.

The Positive Side: Can Social Media Be a Force for Good?

Just like every coin has two sides, even social media can have both negatives and positives. The type of effect being felt by one can depend upon the way in which one is using social media. Some benefits of social media can include using it for creating awareness about important topics, offering virtual communities for building genuine connections and using social media as an agent for advocacy.

Promoting Mental Health Awareness

A lot of mental health platforms offer online counselling, and that is possible because of the advancement in technology. People share about the importance of mental health, seeking support for mental health, and therefore destigmatise the beliefs regarding mental health support.

Creating Safe Spaces for Support and Community

A lot of online platforms offer support groups and an opportunity to network with like-minded people. This is especially useful for those individuals who find it challenging to open up in offline spaces. 

Social Media as a Tool for Advocacy and Change

Social media acts as a lens to learn about what is happening in different parts of the world and speak for one’s beliefs and rights. It is a tool for advocating change, expressing one’s voice and bringing positive changes into the world.

The Balance: How Can We Protect Our Mental Health?

Studies show that being mindful of social media usage can allow one to enjoy the benefits while keeping the harmful effects distant. This is especially important for social media and teen mental health, as adolescents become more aware of the type of content being consumed and maintain healthy boundaries with social media.

Setting Healthy Boundaries with Social Media

It is important to become conscious of the content that is consumed and the duration for which one consumes to maintain healthy boundaries with social media.

Mindful Social Media Usage: Tips for Maintaining Balance

Here are some tips for maintaining mindful use of social media:

1. Keeping no-gadget zones in the house

2. Monitoring and tracking social media usage

3. Turning off the phone at specific hours of the day

4. Removing unnecessary social media applications

5. Disabling notifications from different applications

These are a few of the many ways through which one can control their social media use. Along with this, teens and social media connections might need added support from caregivers, school counsellors and other trained mental health professionals.

Seeking Professional Help: When to Disconnect and Reach Out

Here are some signs that can indicate a need for seeking professional help to manage social media usage:

1. Unable to manage the temptation of constantly checking social media

2. Experiencing anxiety, loneliness, etc, because of social media usage

3. Cyberbullying and feeling isolated

4. Unable to manage the time limit despite consistent efforts

5. Feeling uneasy when unable to use social media, even though there’s no specific purpose

These are just a few of the many signs that you need to reach out for professional support to get freedom from social media usage and develop improved mental well-being.

Conclusion: Navigating the Fine Line Between Connection and Chaos

If you or your loved ones are struggling to draw the line between connection and chaos, unable to control social media usage and bearing the negative impact of social media on mental health, then feel free to reach out for help. Call Athena Behavioral Health at +91 9289086193 and let us together draw boundaries between healthy and unhealthy social media usage!