How often do you find yourself opening social media apps when you’re bored or uncomfortable
in social settings? Do these apps distract you from your feelings, or could they be causing you
more stress?
Since the pandemic, social media’s usage has increased and adapted, switching from a platform
for sharing photographs with friends to a connection to the “outside world” as we were
physically isolated.
During quarantine, social media became a vital way to communicate and keep in touch with
loved ones, but its use has only intensified since then.
Currently. 5.04 billion people use social media platforms, and 266 million new accounts have
been created within the past year.
Online communication has become more frequent and an easier approach to our social lives – we
are more prone to messaging or video calling than meeting in person. Though it comes into
question, what effect can this potentially have on users?
“Overall, those who logged on more frequently reported that they experienced a decreased sense
of social belonging, lower engagement with others, and less fulfilling relationships – even when
researchers controlled for social and demographic factors like relationship status and living
situation in the results,” says Business Insider.
Being online for long periods of time and being non-interactive in your personal life can lead to
mental health issues.
Long-time use of social media can lead to many consequences including superficial
relationships, mental health concerns, isolation, erosion of privacy, polarization, and wasting too
much time on these apps, according to ElKhalil Law.
Social media can also cause users to develop insecurities regarding self-image, body dysphoria,
depression, and symptoms of eating disorders. Scrolling through photos that have been heavily
edited through photoshop and filters has caused a disconnect between what is perception and
what is reality. Additionally, seeing other people post about enjoyable activities might trigger
feelings of jealousy, depression, and isolation from.
This adds to the struggle of socializing in-person by the constant need to feel accepted by the
groups around them. Not only will this affect communication skills and self esteem, but
eventually develop into more serious mental health issues that need to become treated.
This includes exhibiting obsessive behaviors. “Excessive social media use may also lead to
addiction-like behaviors, with individuals compulsively checking their accounts for validation
and social approval,” says ElKhalil Law.
If the continuation of these symptoms align with the overuse of social media exposure, it will
progressively get worse when nothing is done to help the issue. Distancing ourselves from social
media is important to help our mental health become less stressed. Seeing a therapist may
become a good option if symptoms become severe.
Many use social media as a distraction to surfacing anxieties, but masking our symptoms may
worsen them and create a bigger issue.
In-person environments can never be replaced by online social media communications.
Real-world interactions and contact is crucial as it triggers positive hormones to release, making
you happier and healthier, according to Help Guide.
So please, let’s put our phones down so we can enjoy going on walks, meeting friends at our
favorite shops, and being present in the moment. These steps are crucial to healthy interpersonal
relationships. They significantly help our esteem, ability to function, communicate better, and
lead to better relationships and happiness.
It’s important to become aware of our behaviors so that it doesn’t affect the overall status of our
health. Turning off notifications and perhaps even deleting social media apps can be a benefit to
ourselves from the way we interact with the world by becoming more present.