Social Media-boon or bane
Well, everything has a boon and bane but when it comes to this topic..u already know???
We all have social media accounts...... common nowadays we can't even live without them is it not true????? Frankly speaking, even I use it.....but have we ever looked at its disadvantages.
We have always looked at the advantages.....but disadvantages do matter in this cause.
Social media is affecting teens and children both physically and mentally.
Under disadvantages, only eyesight problems and laziness are not there. Mental health is a major issue. Teens and children get influenced by it. They have to understand the difference between
Real-life and Reel life. Influencers just show good and luxurious parts of their life but have they ever shown the real.
Social media and mental health
Connecting to long-lost acquaintances has never been easier. Type their name on any of the social networking sites and you are likely to find childhood friends and schoolmates. Then you can connect and relive the good old days, even possibly create new memories by meeting, exchanging gifts, and re-establishing friendships.
It’s a fact that friendships are healthy most of the time. This is an example of a positive effect when social networks bring people together. On the flip side, some mental health problems may arise because of the overuse of social sites. Since it’s a relatively new technology, there’s little research to establish the long-term consequences, good or bad, of social media use. However, multiple studies have found a strong link between heavy social media and an increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts.
Social media may promote negative experiences such as:
Inadequacy about your life or appearance
Fear of missing out (FOMO)
Isolation
Depression and anxiety
Cyberbullying
Self-absorption
Signs that social media is impacting your mental health
Everyone is different and there is no specific amount of time spent on social media, or the frequency you check for updates or the number of posts you make that indicates your use is becoming unhealthy. Rather, it has to do with the impact time spent on social media has on your mood and other aspects of your life, along with your motivations for using it.
For example, your social media use may be problematic if it causes you to neglect face-to-face relationships, distracts you from work or school, or leaves you feeling envious, angry, or depressed. Similarly, if you’re motivated to use social media just because you’re bored or lonely, or want to post something to make others jealous or upset, it may be time to reassess your social media habits.
Indicators that social media may be adversely affecting your mental health include:
Spending more time on social media than with real-world friends. Using social media has become a substitute for a lot of your offline social interaction. Even if you’re out with friends, you still feel the need to constantly check social media, often driven by feelings that others may be having more fun than you.
Comparing yourself unfavorably with others on social media. You have low self-esteem or negative body image. You may even have patterns of disordered eating.
Experiencing cyberbullying. Or you worry that you have no control over the things people post about you.
Being distracted at school or work-You feel pressure to post regular content about yourself, get comments or likes on your posts, or respond quickly and enthusiastically to friends’ posts.
Having no time for self-reflection- Every spare moment is filled with engaging with social media, leaving you little or no time for reflecting on who you are, what you think, or why you act the way that you do—the things that allow you to grow as a person.
Engaging in risky behavior in order to gain likes- shares, or positive reactions on social media. You play dangerous pranks, post embarrassing material, cyberbully others, or access your phone while driving or in other unsafe situations.
Suffering from sleep problems- Do you check social media last thing at night, first thing in the morning, or even when you wake up in the night? The light from phones and other devices can disrupt your sleep, which in turn can have a serious impact on your mental health.
Worsening symptoms of anxiety or depression.-Rather than helping to alleviate negative feelings and boost your mood, you feel more anxious, depressed, or lonely after using social media.
If u feel the symptoms then u can follow these tips to improve yourself by-
Use an app to check how much time you use social media.
Turn off your phone at certain times of day
Disable your social media notifications
Limit checks- If you compulsively check your phone every few minutes, wean yourself off by limiting your checks to once every 15 minutes. Then once every 30 minutes, then once an hour. There are apps that can automatically limit when you’re able to access your phone.
Don’t bring your phone or tablet to bed.-Turn devices off and leave them in another room overnight to charge.
Try removing social media apps from your phone- so you can only check Facebook, Twitter, and the like from your tablet or computer. If this sounds like too drastic a step, try removing one social media app at a time to see how much you really miss it.
Do meditation
Engage yourself in some sort of mental peace ( You can read this blog for more clarification about mind peace)
-Gurnoor Kaur-
Well- formulated!! Keep it up!!✨💕🎀