Social media is pervasive — our phones, our workplaces, schools and even in our leisure time. Though social media can keep us informed and connected, too much of it can be bad for our mental health — especially for young people.
We’ll dig into why social media is detrimental to mental well-being and what we can do to keep our minds healthy in the internet age.
It Fuels Anxiety and Depression
So many platforms, Instagram and TikTok among them, offer only the “highlight reels” of others’ lives — perfect selfies, exotic vacations, professional successes. This can leave others feeling left out or not good enough.
Studies show that:
Teenagers who spend hours on social media are more likely to feel anxious, unhappy and socially isolated.
Instagram harms the mental health of 1 in 3 teenage girls, according Facebook’s own study.
People begin to compare themselves with others and soon have low self-esteem.
Social Media Is an Addictive Curse by Design
Apps are designed to be addictive. Every time you like, share or comment, your brain gets a small “reward” in the form of a hit of the neurotransmitter dopamine. You get in the habit of it after a while.
You check your phone dozens of times in an hour.
Notifications distract attention, sleep and you name it real life interactions.
So many users say they “can’t stop scrolling,” even when they want to.
It Replaces Real Connections
Human beings require physical contact in order to maintain psychological health. We are creating an illusion of connection that we should not mistake for the real thing.
You could engage in online discussions, yet feel lonely.
Online friends are, generally, not as dependable as in real life.
Isolation increases, especially in teens.
It Promotes Unrealistic Beauty Standards
Platforms are littered with edited photos, filters and “perfect” bodies. This causes users to have low confidence in they way they look and can result in disordered eating.
Many of its teenagers have tied their self-worth to “likes” on selfies.
Girls who spend a lot of time on Instagram feel more pressure to be thin or to have a perfect body.
Adults can be affected as well when they start losing confidence.
It Sends Risky Messages and FOMO
There’s a great deal of Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). When you watch other people at parties, on vacations or having success, it can foster jealousy or sadness.
For some users, taking desperate measures - even dangerous ones - in order to get noticed is part of the game:
Sharing risky videos or dangerous pranks
Driving while live-streaming
Cyberbullying your way to more likes
MORE: This spiral will bring you anxiety and regret.
It Harms Sleep and Productivity
Late-night scrolling disrupts sleep. Notifications distract you from work or school. Social media cuts into time that could be used for learning, working out or hobbies.
Adolescents who used social media before bed had worse sleep.
Using it excessively can result in procrastination, missed deadlines and low energy.
Signs Social Media Is Harming You
You might not even notice how social media is influencing you until you see these symptoms:
You feel worse after using it
You compare your real life to other people’s online
You’re sad, bored or anxious, so you scroll.
You can no longer enjoy non- screen activities
You feel as though you need to reply or post something “coo” all day long
How to Take Control
Here’s how to minimize the damage:
Reduce screen time: Begin with 30-60 minutes a day
I was horrified at his answer, and that was the opposite of the experience he wanted me to have.” Porn is too complex a subject to sum up here — how it changes the brain, what it does to our sexual response circuitry and so on — but I discovered it’s possible to dial down the constant noise in our heads about sex in general. Take social media breaks : Even a weekend will do.
Turn off push notifications
Avoid checking apps before bed
Unfollow anything that makes you feel shitty.
Share what you are going through with a friend or family member.
Final Thoughts
Social media appears to be fun and would like to think that it is harmless, but for many people, particularly teens, is proving to become anything but. It has emerged as a major contributor to stress, anxiety and low self-esteem with a myriad of negative effects. Always needing validation, being exposed to cyberbullying and getting sucked into scrolling can silently hurt your mental health.
It is important to acknowledge these risks and take steps to reclaim control. Moderate your exposure, concentrate on real-life connections, take care of yourself.
#MentalHealthMatters #SocialMediaAddiction #DigitalWellness #WhySocialMediaIsBad