The Psychological Effects of Social Media

Social Media makes and breaks people. But it is evident that Social Media is giving a negative effect on society today. Here are some negative psychological effects of social media.

Social Media Can Be The Reason For Your Depression & Anxiety

This study adds to a growing body of evidence demonstrating the negative psychological consequences of social media on teenagers. Beginning around 2010, smartphone use rose significantly, and surveys of teenagers reveal that teen depression symptoms and suicide rates increased as well, particularly among females. Researchers believe that the effects of social media in particular, as well as technology use in general, may be contributing to the growing incidence of teen melancholy and anxiety.

For example, a 2018 research contrasted the mental health of 14- to 17-year-olds who spent seven hours per day on social media to those who only spent approximately an hour per day on it.

During the 12 months prior to the research, regular users were more than twice as likely to have been diagnosed with depression, treated by a mental health professional, or given medicine for a psychiatric or behavioral condition.

Furthermore, a CNN research of 13-year-olds’ usage of social media revealed that those who visited Facebook or other networking sites 50 to 100 times each day were 37 percent more disturbed than those who just checked a few times per day.

Social Media Causes Stress and Sleep Deprivation 

The influence of sleep deprivation is one of the psychological impacts of social media. This is due to the fact that teenagers stay up late on social media.

Furthermore, technology keeps teenagers awake. Smartphones emit artificial blue light, which activates arousing neurons in the brain, disrupting the body’s capacity to generate melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone.

Teens’ physical and psychological stress levels rise as a result of their sleep loss. In fact, chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to an increased risk of teen depression, drug addiction, and risky conduct, as well as a reduction in emotional control abilities.

Social Media Causes One To Yearn For Human Connection

It is critical for us to be able to communicate and form personal ties with one another as human beings.

However, when we’re addicted to rectangular displays, we’re more familiar with our friends’ digital personalities than their real-life personas, it might be difficult to do so.

Stina Sanders, a former model with 107,000 Instagram followers, discussed how social media makes her feel like she’s being left out occasionally.

“I know from my experience I can get FOMO when I see my friend’s photos of a party I didn’t go to, and this, in turn, can make me feel quite lonely and anxious,” she said.

Overall, regular use of Facebook had a negative impact on an individual’s wellbeing, according to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology that evaluated 5,208 subjects.

Social Media Has Changed The Definition Of “Memory”

Overall, regular use of Facebook has a detrimental influence on an individual’s wellbeing, according to research published in the American Journal of Epidemiology that looked at 5,208 participants.

However, it has the potential to alter the way you recall key moments from your life.

Many of us are guilty of wasting far too much time attempting to capture the ideal photograph of a visual marvel while missing out on the firsthand pleasure of experiencing it with our own eyes.

“If we direct all of our attention toward capturing the best shots for our social media followers to admire, less will be available to enjoy other aspects of the experience in real-time,” said Dr. Bono.

“Spending too much time on our phones will detract from those other aspects of the experience, undermining the happiness we could be gleaning from them.”

Social Media Affects Your Attention Span Negatively

You should be concerned not only about your subconscious mind but also about your brain’s ability to completely concentrate while awake.

While the quantity of information accessible at our fingertips as a result of social media is amazing, it also means that individuals are considerably more easily distracted.

“Social media has provided a means of constantly giving in to the temptation of instant, easy-access entertainment,” said Dr. Bono.

If you can’t stop yourself from checking your phone for more than a few minutes, you should practice using your willpower on a regular basis.

In Conclusion…

When used excessively or without prudence, social media has been shown to not only create dissatisfaction but may also contribute to the development of mental health disorders such as anxiety or depression.

In March 2018, it was reported that over a third of Generation Z respondents in a poll of 1,000 people said they were abandoning social media for good because 41% said it made them feel worried, unhappy, or depressed.

While you don’t have to give up social media completely if it’s starting to bog you down, why not include social media-free time periods into your daily routine? A small adjustment might make a big difference.