Most people are extremely social in nature which has led to a rise in use of social media in the last decade. Social media platforms have become an integral and almost unavoidable part of our lives. It’s the first thing you check when you wake up and the last thing you look at before bed. It can be extremely beneficial to be connected to your friends via various social media outlets. However, increased use of social media can lead to adverse effects. Many studies have found a strong link between heavy social media use and increased risks for depression, anxiety, and loneliness. An unhealthy amount of time on your cell phones is hurting you more than you think.
Time Spent on Social Media
Like many, I’m sure you find yourself spending more hours than you’d like to admit on social media. Whether it’s scrolling through Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, or something else, you probably waste too much time looking at your phone. According to a study conducted by Pew Research Center, “45% of teens say they use the internet ‘almost constantly’” and “another 45% say they go online several times a day.” This can be attributed to the access we have to technology today. Pew Research Center discovered 95% of teens have or have access to a smartphone- a ridiculously high percentage. Not only do most people always have a phone in the pocket to check at any point of the day, but there are simply just more social media platforms today. With the development of Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, YouTube, Reddit, Tumblr and more, it is obvious that people are going to spend more time checking each of these sites. Through those hours spent, we are constantly consuming images posted online that are doing more harm than good to our mental health.
Negative Impacts on Mental Health
It is quite clear that scrolling through Instagram for hours isn’t a healthy or productive way to spend your time. When you see posts on Snapchat or Instagram of your friends hanging out or on a luxurious vacation, you tend to feel negatively about yourself. You wish you had the money to fly to California for the weekend and stay at a 5-star hotel. Feelings of fear of missing out (FOMO) can also develop and make you upset that you’re missing out on the fun. Or, maybe you weren’t invited to that birthday party and you feel left out or disliked. All of these bad emotions can quickly deteriorate your mental health.
Negative Impacts on Body Image
Whether we’d like to admit it or not, social media has caused many people to redefine their concept of beauty. If you don’t look like the models you see on Instagram, you’re likely to perceive yourself negatively. Social media has undeniably been linked to poor self-esteem and body image issues for a large amount of people. In recent years, many manipulate their bodies using photoshop apps to edit themselves to look more attractive. Some make their stomach a little flatter, arms a little thinner, or smooth out blemishes. These modifications allow others to believe that person is “flawless” and idealize their body. The unrealistic expectations achieved through photoshop are extremely horrible to anyone’s self-esteem, especially young females.
Seen on the picture below, famous singer John Mayer even fell victim to photoshopping his Instagram post. His oddly flawless completion makes it quite obvious something was done to manipulate this photo.
How to Have a Healthy Relationship with Social Media
- Monitor your screen time
Like most things, it is crucial to have a healthy balance with social media use. It would be a highly beneficial idea to set aside time in the day to allow yourself to scroll on social media. Then, set a time for when it is time to log off for the day. iPhones have a great feature which allows you to see how much time you spend on your phone and even on certain applications. You can set screen time limitations also that will remind you when you’ve spent on hour on Instagram that day. It is key to not let social media consume all of your time.
- Use social media as in inspiration
You’ll often run into posts of people showcasing their successes which may bring you down. It is essential to remember that people only share the great moments in their life. Social media allows people to create a façade that leads their followers to believe they live a perfect life. Behind their screen, they may be struggling just as much as you are. Use other’s posts as inspiration to achieve more for yourself and create realistic goals for your life – not a comparison.
- Consume good content
If you know that every time you see Becky’s post you feel bad about yourself, maybe it’s time to unfollow her. If you don’t want to unfollow for good, considering using the mute feature many social media applications have. It is important to surround yourself with good, wholesome posts – if they’re not positively impacting you, you don’t need to see it.