Human beings are social creatures. Having strong relationships is essential for our mental health and happiness. We need the companionship of others to thrive in life, and the strength of our connections has a huge impact on our mental health and happiness. Maintaining social connections with others can have numerous benefits for your mental and physical health. These benefits can include reducing stress and anxiety, boosting self-esteem, providing comfort and joy, preventing loneliness, and even increasing your lifespan. If you don’t have strong social connections, it can negatively affect your mental and emotional health.
We depend on social media to connect with one another. Although both have their advantages, it is crucial to keep in mind that social media can never take the place of face-to-face interaction. Interacting with others in person can help reduce stress and make you feel happier, healthier, and more positive by triggering the release of hormones. Although social media is supposed to help people connect, too much time on social media can actually make people feel more lonely and isolated. Additionally, it can make mental health problems such as anxiety and depression worse.
If you spend a lot of time on social media and you’re feeling sad, frustrated, or lonely, it might be time to change your online habits. You might need to find a better balance.
The positive aspects of social media
While interacting with people virtually on social media doesn’t have the same psychological benefits as face-to-face contact, there are many positive ways it can help you stay connected and support your wellbeing.
Social media enables you to:
- Communicate and stay up to date with family and friends around the world.
- Find new friends and communities; network with other people who share similar interests or ambitions.
- Join or promote worthwhile causes; raise awareness on important issues.
- Seek or offer emotional support during tough times.
- Find vital social connection if you live in a remote area, for example, or have limited independence, social anxiety, or are part of a marginalized group.
- Find an outlet for your creativity and self-expression.
- Discover (with care) sources of valuable information and learning.
The negative aspects of social media
Although social media is a new technology, there is not much research yet to tell us what the long-term consequences might be, whether they are good or bad. All things considered, it’s not hard to see why social media might be correlated with an increased risk of mental health problems.
Social media may promote negative experiences such as:
Inadequacy about your life or appearance. Even though you might be aware that the images you see on social media are usually manipulated in some way, they can still make you feel bad about your own appearance or what is happening in your life. We are all aware that other people only share the positive things that happen in their lives and not the negative things that everyone experiences. Although it may not make the envy and dissatisfaction go away, it’s important to remember that social media only presents people’s highlight reel.
Fear of missing out (FOMO). The Fear of Missing Out, or FOMO, is something that predates social media but is amplified by platforms like Facebook and Instagram. These sites make it seem like everyone else is living better lives and having more fun, causing people to feel left out. If you think you’re not experiencing something that others are, it can negatively affect how you see yourself, cause stress, and lead to more time spent on social media. The fear of missing out can make you want to check your phone all the time for updates or compulsively respond to notifications, even if it means endangering yourself by using your phone while driving, not getting enough sleep, or spending more time interacting with people online than in person.
Isolation. The study found that people who use Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram a lot don’t feel as lonely as those who don’t use them as much. The study found that reducing social media usage can make you feel less lonely and improve your wellbeing.
Depression and anxiety. Human beings need face-to-face contact to be mentally healthy. There is no quicker or more effective way to reduce stress and boost your mood than by making eye contact with someone who cares about you. If you spend more time on social media than interacting with people in real life, you may be more likely to have mood disorders such as anxiety and depression.
Cyberbullying. Approximately 10% of adolescents say that they have been bullied on social media, and many other people who use these platforms regularly receive offensive comments. Social media platforms such as Twitter can be hotspots for spreading hurtful rumors, lies, and abuse. These rumors, lies, and abuse can leave lasting emotional scars.
Self-absorption. Posting too many selfies and sharing all your thoughts on social media can be unhealthy and make it harder to connect with people in real life.
What’s driving your social media use?
Nowadays, we usually access social media using our smartphones or tablets instead of other devices. While social media is always accessible, this also means it is very convenient to keep in touch. The constant alerts and notifications from your phone can trigger impulse control problems, affecting your concentration and focus, disturbing your sleep, and making you a slave to your phone.
Social media platforms are designed to keep you engaged by showing you updates, new content, and conversations. It’s how the companies make money. However, social media use can create psychological cravings, just like a gambling compulsion or an addiction to nicotine, alcohol, or drugs. A favorable reaction to a post can cause dopamine to be released in the brain, which is the same “reward” chemical that is present when winning on a slot machine, eating chocolate, or smoking a cigarette. More rewards make social media more attractive, even if it harms other areas of your life.
Other causes of unhealthy social media use
The fear of missing out can make you feel like you need to keep checking social media in case you miss something important. In spite of the fact that there are scarcely any things that can’t pause or require a quick reaction, FOMO will persuade you generally. If you’re concerned about being left out of the conversation at school or work because you’re not up-to-date on the latest news or gossip from social media, there are a few things you can do. Or maybe you feel that your relationships will suffer if you don’t give an immediate reaction to other people’s posts? You may feel anxious that you will not receive an invitation or that other people are enjoying themselves more than you.
We use social media as a way to feel secure and connected. We use our phones to access social media whenever we feel anxious, awkward, or lonely in a social situation. Interacting online instead of face-to-face can actually make anxiety worse.
If you find yourself using social media all the time, it might be a sign that you’re trying to avoid other issues in your life. These issues could include stress, depression, or boredom. If you find that you’re using social media more often when you’re feeling down or bored, you may be using it as a way to avoid those unpleasant feelings. If you allow yourself to feel your emotions, it can be difficult, but it can also lead you to finding healthier ways to manage your moods.
Improving your relationship with social media
Goodman claims that social media should be recognized as a tool in order to develop a healthy relationship with it.
According to her, social media can either have a positive effect or a negative effect depending on how it is used.
How can you use social media in a way that would improve your mental health? These tips offer a place to start.
Get curious about your behavior
Frank suggests exploring why you turn to social media. You can minimize unhelpful patterns of use and begin to identify more effective behaviors by doing this.
Ask yourself what social media does for you in your life.
You may need a break from a recent upsetting event or a difficult work situation. Maybe you’re always on your phone because it’s always within reach.
Skip social media in the morning and night
If you start your day by using social media apps, it could affect your mood for the rest of the day. The apps could disrupt your sleep if you use them at night.
It might be helpful to leave your phone in another room when you go to bed and use a digital or old-school alarm clock. Instead of keeping your phone with you all the time, you could leave it in a drawer in your room. You can put your alarm clock on the other side of the room, so it’s not within easy reach and you’ll still be able to hear it in the morning.
Try starting and ending your day with activities that improve your mental health.
Here’s how to build a morning routine that outshines scrolling.
Curate your content
For a few days, take note of the type of content that seems to worsen your mental state. Choose the people and organizations you follow carefully.
Frank is suggesting that you block or mute anything that is not helpful to you. Find content that makes you feel good.
Set yourself up for success
If you have read about people who have successfully given up social media, you may be tempted to do the same.
Although disconnecting from social media can be beneficial,Frank believes it is more important to be honest about whether you can commit to staying off these applications.
If you set your expectations too high and you’re not willing to do what it takes to reach them, you’ll just feel ashamed of yourself, says Frank. This can then lead to more of the behavior you’re trying to reduce.
So, ask yourself:
- What are good boundaries for me on a regular basis?
- Would I like to experiment with skipping social media for a day?
- Can I keep my phone elsewhere to minimize use?
Be gentle with yourself
If you find that you are spending more time on social media than you used to, you may feel guilty about your habits. It is understandable why someone would go down the social rabbit hole.
Frank notes that social media can provide distraction and soothing during pandemic times, and that this can help us cope with anxiety and stress.
Try not to be too critical or punishing of yourself for looking at your phone a lot. Try to be more understanding and compassionate with yourself instead.
Seek out other kinds of fun
You can often make social media seem less appealing by:
- scheduling fun outings with friends or fulfilling solo activities
- keeping an interesting book by your bed or in your bag or backpack
- taking an in-person class that interests you
- watching documentaries or YouTube videos on topics you yearn to understand
- checking out hilarious comedy specials
I suggest making a list of people, places, and activities you’d like to dedicate more time to, and then working through that list as soon as possible.
When to get professional support
Having a complicated relationship with social media is normal. It’s not always simple or easy to understand why you feel the way you do.
If you’re struggling to understand what’s going on, a therapist may be better equipped to help you out.
How do you know it’s time to reach out?
According to Frank and Goodman, you may want to consider getting help if you find yourself:
- spending more time focused on social media than caring for your needs
- experiencing conflict and other challenges in your relationships
- frequently comparing yourself to others and berating yourself for not measuring up
- unable to step away from social media despite unwanted consequences
A therapist can offer support with:
- identifying patterns of problematic social media use
- exploring underlying reasons for excessive use
- setting limits
- addressing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns
- strengthening your relationship with yourself
Learn more about finding the right therapist for you.
The bottom line
How and why you use social media can affect your mental health.
An example of this is that social media can make you feel more isolated and alone. But it can also help you connect with similar people or people with the same interests.
The key to a better relationship with social media is understanding how it affects you. If you’re looking to improve your relationship with social media, start by taking small steps and being more thoughtful about your usage.
Social media apps are designed to keep users engaged and actively using them. Cutting back on your own might not always be easy. If you find yourself struggling with social media, a therapist can help you set boundaries for a more mindful experience.
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