I got to know a new thing today that there are an estimated 3 billion social media users worldwide, maybe more. In India alone there will be an estimated 448 million social media users by the year 2025.
I wasn’t at all surprised by reading these stats. They make perfect sense.
Internet usage and social media to be specific have become an unavoidable part of our lives even more so during the pandemic. Its presence has made our lives more comfortable and easier by bringing the world closer and more accessible to us.
You may have noticed that almost everyone in your social circle has a social media presence be it Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter or other platforms.
So naturally, it makes sense for us to use technology especially social media so often which let’s be honest is extremely glamourous, entertaining and somewhat addictive too.
I admire the marvels of technology and its advancements which has made our lives so easier and fast-paced. Although I have to admit that it is like Pandora’s box which once opened creates havoc and chaos.
Constantly being on social media platforms as a millennial adversely affects us. It creates a significant impact on the psychological well being of an individual and makes me ask this question,
Have you ever focused on the kind of impact that social media is having on our mental health?
Chew on these facts:
- A British study conducted in 2018 tied social media usage to disturbed sleep patterns. These include an increase in disrupted, delayed sleep and which may be a contributing factor for depression, memory loss and poor academic performance.
- Another study says that individuals who are more active on social media have an adverse effect on their health. They are more likely to experience depressive episodes or depression in general.
- According to research published by a research team from York University in Canada, which took a target group of young women aged 18-27 showed that women who interacted with images online be it looking at others pictures as in liking or commenting on them felt more dissatisfied with their bodies. They were also found to experience unhealthy thoughts about their body image and appearance.
There are a plethora of studies but the bottom line is that excessive use of social media is harmful. It creates a negative impact on the well-being of an individual be it physical or psychological. The constant urge of knowing what is happening around us made us experience FOMO (fear of missing out). Social media has made us so conscious of our image that it has almost made us digitally vulnerable. All of this is creating a kind of pressure in us which is disturbing our mental peace and making us question our sanity.
The remedy:
The next set of order after discovering the problem would naturally be the search for a magical remedy.
We all want the world to see our best side while desperately trying to hide our insecurities or our problems. Although we may never get to know the reality behind the rosy picture. It is very easy to portray the picture of a perfect life while you are on social media. It is even easier and tempting to fall for it and start questioning the quality of one’s own life.
We have to decide whether to believe the picture or to understand the lesson. Ultimately, nothing is worth losing your peace for.
Image source: www.pixabay.com
