The Role Social Media Plays In Mental Health

Social media has attained such a powerful position that multiple Social Networking sites [SNSs] have grown deep-rooted in today’s society. We spend hours and hours exploring and scrolling these sites. So the role social media effect on Mental Health specifically results in anxiety, stress and depression.

In the human body system, the brain and gut work together, therefore mental stress and physical well-being are also interlinked. In 2018, a British study evaluated that inappropriate use of social media leads to mental stress. This mental stress not only gives rise to anxiety, loneliness and poor performance but also causes muscle stiffness and body pains. So it has become a cause of mental disturbance and physical unfitness.

     Social media affects mental health.

In the present era, social media has developed as a powerful instrument. It links individuals, friends, companies, and businesses online.

January 2022 research observed that 4.62 billion people are active social platform users i.e. a 10.1% growth year over year.

Hence, it is to say that social media is an obsession, and its use is increasing rapidly, which affects mental health.

9 ways social media affects mental health:

• Social media addiction

• Sleep Disorder

• The feeling of Self Centeredness

• Feeling of Inadequacy

• Feeling of Loneliness

• Fear of missing out

• Feeling of Envy

• Feeling of Failure

• Cyberbullying

Social Media Craze

Today, social media addiction has enslaved humans and has spellbound all of us. Whoever uses it excessively has no time for family, friends and healthy activities. Students start neglecting their studies as well as their healthy sports. They not only lose interest in their surroundings but also waste their precious time on social media. Its addiction has engaged the mind and soul of the users 24/7. Even if they are driving, walking, eating, talking or working focus is on the mobiles in their hands. Eventually, it results in psychological and mental disorders.

Excessive use of social media leads to a sleep disorder. Users keep an eye on their social media accounts around the clock, and their first and last activity of the day is social media presence. During the night, they get up occasionally to check their mobiles thus social media presence disturbs sleep and results in mental stress.

Social media has made every user self-centred most of the users are busy posting content on social media. The purpose besides posting such social media content is to get viral and earn more shares, views and likes. They set trends and post their daily activities, and as much as they get viral, they become self-centred. Nothing remains personal in their lives, and no privacy leads to mental disturbance.

Social Media usage Inadequacies lead to…

The feeling of inadequacy is a gift of present-day social media. An overwhelming desire to create and share more exists within every user. Craving for new posts, photos, videos and feeds also gives rise to the feeling of inadequacy.

Social media also affect mental health in such a way that gives rise to a feeling of loneliness. Its users keep creating posts, trends and images and keep themselves engaged in such activities. That finally leads to real-life isolation; they lose their real-life friends and activities with them. It develops a feeling of loneliness and mental stress.

• Fear of missing out [FOMO]

 is a feeling of fear. Users don’t want to have a single moment of social media absence.social media effect on Mental Health make users tethered to their phones. Hence, they check every text, beep and reply to everyone. The fear of missing out keeps them dissatisfied. Simultaneously, it may lead to self-harm.

Most social media activities have a comparison factor and comparing yourself with others leads to a feeling of envy. Focus on others’ perfection, success and powerful image give rise to jealousy and envy.

In a study, the author said that envy issues social media users are facing markedly take place on Facebook. Facebook alone is sufficient to create such breeding grounds that give rise to offensive behaviours. Eventually, here a vicious cycle in life begins.

We keep surfing social media sites e.g. YouTube, Google, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. These and many more social media platforms keep us engaged. A feeling that everyone here successfully creates posts, selfies and videos. Other users are getting likes, shares and follow, whereas I am still standing on the first step of the ladder. I am a failure and can never get success. In this case, hopelessness overrides. The feeling of failure leads to mental stress and anxiety.

Cyberbullying is online bullying, an activity of pushing down others. You cannot control other users who post negativity and dirt about you. Peer hurting gives rise to violent behaviour that certainly,

results in psycho-social issues.

There are several benefits we get from social media in our daily lives. Whereas social media is a source of knowledge, awareness and opportunities, the matter is its excessive and inappropriate use. We use it for connectivity, sharing and popularity, but as far as the matter of social media affects on mental health is concerned, it badly affects mental health. It gives rise to anxiety, depression, and psychological distress. Social media affects the mental health, physical health, and social well-being of a human. Social media usage should be in moderation. It’s an old saying: “EXCESS OF EVERYTHING IS BAD.”

Lastly, it’s you or me, whoever and wherever we are if we have social media access,

we can’t refrain ourself from using it excessively.