The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health

 Introduction: 

In today’s digital life, social media has somehow become an integral part of our life whether you want it or not. We make use of it to stay in touch with friends and family, to share our experiences and our opinions and sometimes  to flex ourself as well. However, the impact of social media on mental health and it’s growing concern has to be the talk of the hour., especially when many people out there are experiencing  loneliness, anxiety, depression and other mental illness. So, let’s dig into the main root cause of this problem and try bringing some remedies to make use of this beautiful digital platforms in balanced and healthy way. 

The role and influence of social media on us: 

1) Comparison:

Social media can also lead to comparison with others, as users are constantly exposed to the highlights of others’ lives. For instance, sometimes people flex 'look here how beautiful life I have got all nice cars, house, beautiful wife and everything'. But do we actually know are they really having that kind of life, you never know they would be doing it for their own personal branding,or deep down they might be in some misery as well, or as part of their influencing business they would be posting it. But, we as human we have that tendency to start judging our life, based on mere single things. This developes into low self-esteem, guilt and sometimes being too harsh on ourselves which ideally shouldn’t be the case. 

2) Fear of missing out ( FOMO) :

The constant exposure of others people lives through social media can create a fear of missing out leading into stress and anxiety. For e.g., you see your friends buying  fancy luxurious electronic gadgets and flexing it. And due to that even you wish to buy it but you haven’t considered your financial condition or the most important fact do you actually have a need of that thing. Another example would be, your friends going out on Saturday night party, but despite of the fact knowing that you are having the exams but still you consider that one, just because you don’t want to miss upon the fun they are going to having. 

3) Social bullying : Social media cyberbullying  can also sometime affected the mental health of person leading severe mental health  issues. 

4) Algorithm of social media:

The algorithm of social media has been designed in a such a way that many times , you just get totally hooked to the platform without realising that you are spending your invaluable time for very long hours. So many times it happens that you like some post or content on the platform, then that platform will create a loop of your liking and that has severe effect on ourselves that we get addicted to it and instead of we controlling that platform, it becomes vice versa. 

Advices For Navigating Social Media Healthily. 

1) Set Boundaries: Limit the time spent on social media and set boundaries for when and where it is used. 

2) Be Mindful of Content: Choose to follow and engage with content that promotes positivity and self-improvement, rather than content that may contribute to feelings of self doubt or envy. 

3) Start embracing yourself : Be kind to yourself ,don’t be too hard on yourself and remember that social media is a highlight reel of people’s lives. It is important to recognize that everyone has ups and downs, and that it is normal to feel envious or inadequate at times. 

4) Try to be one of your own kind: Accept yourself for whatever you are , love yourself, cherish the simple things which comes in front of you. Instead of trying copying someone, rather then that be yourself, maintain that uniqueness. 

Long story short, everything has virtues and vices, so it depends on person how they make use of the things, with the rope one can climb mountains but with the same one can hang oneself, with the help of nail one can build house but with similar one can kill someone. So, it  depends on the person how do they perceive the things, a glass half empty or a glass half filled. Social media has revolutionized the way we communicate and connect with others. While it can be a powerful tool for connection and support, it is essential to be mindful of its impact on our mental health. By setting boundaries, being mindful of content, practicing self-compassion, we can navigate the digital landscape in healthy and balanced way. 

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