In the past accolades were given to people for revolutionizing the world with their ideas, however in the current day and age such praise needs to be reserved for the current generation as they have transformed the world, the way humans think, act and converse – this global transformation can be attributed to social media. It can be stated that social media has both positive as well as negative impact on the individual’s mental health.
The positive impact of social media
- Social Connection: Other than promoting businesses and brands social media also serves the purpose of allowing users to stay in contact with their family and friends, therefore allowing them to feel less lonely.
- Community Building: Each individual is unique in their own right and many possess similar interests. It is through online pages and forums that such individuals can connect with each other.
- Access to information: Social media can also be used for educational purposes as well as to keep up with the current news.
- Self Expression: While some artists are struggling to get their work published, there are others who are privileged enough to have platforms like Instagram or TikTok to showcase their artistic abilities.
The negative impact of social media
- Cyberbullying: Even though social media harassment is forbidden, it is still prevalent in many communities and continues to haunt children and teenagers.
- Social Comparison: Seeing an idealized version of someone else’s life can cause users to feel insecure about themselves.
- Addiction: Over time addiction towards social media can develop that can not only disturb sleep cycles but also interpersonal relationships and hinder productivity.
- FOMO (Fear of Missing Out): Social media ever-outstanding notifications and countless occurrences might bring to life distress and apprehension.
- Mental Health Misinformation: Social platforms, can be spread fast with misinformation or other such content which can lead to mental issues.
Pointers to Use Social Media in a Constructive Way
- Set Limits: Keep your social media exposure to a minimum and have a schedule.
- Be Mindful of Content: Follow only those pages that encourage you and make you feel good.
- Practice Digital Detox: Go off from social media such as Facebook for some time to refresh your battery.
- Be Selective About Sharing: Before you decide to update Facebook or Twitter, think about what personal information you want to expose.
- Challenge Negative Thoughts: In case you are feeling the negativity after viewing Facebook or Twitter posts, change your negative feeling and feel sorry instead.
- Seek Support: Go on social media if absolutely necessary, but only if you feel loved by your friends or family and don’t feel overwhelmed by mental issues.
Using social media wisely, knowing its pros and cons, will allow you to gain the most while minimizing potential suffering from various disorders. Living digitally is beneficial but social media does have its bright sides so it’s important to stay focused.