Social media has become one of the most prominent means of communication in the modern age. Billions of people around the world have at least one social media account, giving them the ability to connect with their loved ones, celebrities, companies, and so much more.
And while this may seem like a good thing fundamentally, concern is starting to mount in terms of how social media might affect our overall mental health.
Here we will explore the role that social media has played in the decline of mental health across the globe.
Constant Advertisement
At its core, social media is an excellent idea. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter allow for methods of communication that have completely changed the landscape of how we connect with one another. But all of these platforms are free, meaning that they needed a means of paying the bills.
This is when ads starting to become more popular, where companies would start building databases about their customers and then start selling ads based on that personal database.
It’s meant that ads have never been more intrusive, and it can have a heavy toll on a person’s mental health, especially when we consider that financial trouble is one of the leading causes of excessive stress.
FOMO
The Fear Of Missing Out is a legitimate fear that many social media users develop over time. It’s tied in heavily with the way in which people represent themselves on their accounts, often using edited slices of their vacations and other adventures and posting them online.
This can give the impression that other people are living more fulfilling and happy lives, and witnesses are left feeling that their lives are inadequate. It can become completely overwhelming for people, leading to severe depression and sometimes even self harm and suicide. It’s important to remember when using social media that much of it is not representative of a person’s entire life, but only a small fraction of it that they’ve chosen to say.
Online Bullying And Trolls
Another problem with social media is the many negative echo chambers that have sprung up over the last decade. Many platforms have become something of a haven for people to spread negative opinions or to outright try and emotionally harm others while staying anonymous.
Trolling is the term that’s most often used these days, and many trolls will go to great lengths to try and get a reaction out of people. It’s a good rule of thumb to always take everything with a grain of salt and to steer clear of any arguments that seem to have been made for the sole purpose of antagonising the reader, and rather focusing on something fun like online casino India games.
Negative News
The world has never been more connected, and it’s extremely easy to become wrapped up in all the bad things that are taking place, which get posted on social media platforms fairly often.
It’s vital to remember that negative media tends to sell, and that most of the good that takes place in the world isn’t always posted, as it doesn’t generate nearly the same number of clicks.