It’s no secret that mental health is a hot topic in today’s society. Mental illness has been around for as long as there have been people, but it seems like mental health has become more prevalent over the past few years. This can be attributed to many factors, but social media may play a role because we are constantly bombarded with images of perfect lives and “highlight reels” of other people’s days, which can lead to feeling inadequate or inferior when comparing yourself to them. Here are some ways that social media can affect your mental health.
It’s Addictive
If you’re not careful, social media can become an addiction. When we scroll through our feeds, it is common to find ourselves in a mental state of “FOMO” – fear of missing out on something. We worry that if we don’t check our feed right now someone else will share the same picture or post and their life will seem better than ours. This almost forces us into a never-ending cycle of scrolling which becomes mental exhaustion because there are so many other distractions happening at the same time (texts coming in, work deadlines looming overhead).
It’s Lonely
Social media can also have the negative effects of isolating people from face-to-face interactions with others and creating feelings of loneliness when comparing themselves to others. You may spend less time actually interacting with people in person as it may seems easier to just talk over social media instead of leaving the house.
It can also be hateful! The internet can be a breeding ground for mental illness when people are exposed to hateful comments and negative self-talk, which is often the case on social media sites. This encourages mental instability because it makes us feel unsafe and potentially lessens our sense of self-worth. It breeds insecurity in ways that nothing else could compare.
Sleep Deprivation
Social media can also cause mental health issues by causing sleep deprivation. It’s estimated that those who spend more than two hours on their phone before bed have a 60% increased risk of getting less than the desired amount of sleep, which can lead to mental instability because one does not need much to be mentally exhausted and stressed-out after an entire day with little or no rest.
It Changes Our Reality
When we go through our feeds, it is common for us to compare ourselves against other people in many ways – whether they are better at something, prettier, smarter, richer. This always leads us into feeling inferior when comparing oneself to others because there is never enough time or room for improvement due to how unrealistic social media makes everything. The things you see others share or even on social media may not be an accurate depiction of their real lives or the way they actually feel.
