Over the last few decades, the world has become connected in ways no one could have imagined a century ago, when having a telephone in the home was a relatively new phenomenon. In many ways, online communication has made our lives better.<\/p>\n
Thanks to platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and more, it\u2019s now easier than ever to stay in contact with family and friends, even those who live in other states or countries. It\u2019s also incredibly easy to connect with new people, or to reconnect with people you\u2019ve lost touch with over the years.<\/p>\n
Social media offers the opportunity to mass share information with large groups of people, saving you time when you have a major announcement, like a new job, an upcoming wedding, or the birth of a baby. It also allows you to receive information that you might not have had otherwise, simply because you may not be on everyone\u2019s short list to call or receive an announcement.<\/p>\n
In addition, social media platforms allow users to express themselves in a variety of ways\u2014through photos or videos, for example. You can share talents like singing or playing instruments, or brighten someone\u2019s day with a personal video message.<\/p>\n
Like any new technology, however, there\u2019s a flipside. Although there\u2019s no definitive way to prove that utilizing social networks causes anxiety, depression, loneliness, or other mental health concerns, as these could be caused by a variety of factors, studies suggest a correlation<\/a> between the use of social networking sites and depressive symptoms.<\/p>\n This is particularly concerning for those who already suffer from depression or other mental health disorders. Here are several ways that using social media could impact your mental health.<\/p>\n One of the biggest potential pitfalls of social media is the ways in which we use it to communicate. Although we can now connect much more expediently with others, digital communications are limited in a variety of ways.<\/p>\n Humans communicate not only in words, but through tone of voice, facial expressions, hand gestures, body movements and more. Much of this is lost when communications happen by text, voice, or even video.<\/p>\n In addition, the number of people you\u2019re connected to doesn\u2019t necessarily equate to meaningful, personal relationships. By their very nature, social media communications are typically more superficial than in-person interactions.<\/p>\n Further, the amount of time spent engaged in online activities can reduce time dedicated to face-to-face interactions, and the trade-off isn\u2019t socially, emotionally, or mentally equitable. This, in turn, can lead to a lack of satisfaction, as well as feelings of loneliness and depression.<\/p>\n Like most animals, humans are hardwired to take the path of least resistance. If you can get food from the grocery store instead of hunting or gathering for it in the wild, it makes sense to conserve your energy, from a survival standpoint.<\/p>\n In other words, instant gratification isn\u2019t always a bad thing. However, when it comes to social media, the expectation of instant gratification can often lead to disappointment.<\/p>\n Round-the-clock connectedness has led to significant changes in how people communicate. Remember when you had to leave a message on an answering machine and wait for someone to get back to you?<\/p>\n These days, we know people have smartphones on them everywhere they go, and many people get alerts when messaged, so there\u2019s an expectation to immediately respond. When you don\u2019t receive a speedy reply, you may start to wonder if the person is avoiding you, if they\u2019re angry, or if they simply don\u2019t like you, rather than assuming they\u2019re just busy with their own life.<\/p>\n This is a symptom not only of expecting instant gratification, but of the disconnect in relationships that occur when more time is spent having virtual relationships than in-person interactions, where such fears could quickly and easily be assuaged.<\/p>\n It\u2019s true that people can lie in real-world interactions. We do it all the time.<\/p>\n However, it\u2019s a lot easier to lie online, about everything, including the way you look and the quality of your life.<\/p>\n Think about the last time you saw a \u201cwoke up this way\u201d photo that revealed messy hair, bleary eyes and skin still greasy from last night\u2019s cold cream. Despite the fact that this is probably how most of us wake up, you\u2019re much more likely to see perfectly tousled hair, natural makeup and flattering lighting in such photos.<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t real life, but it\u2019s promoted as if it is, and when you see nothing but perfect bodies and incredible vacation pics, it\u2019s easy to feel like your life just doesn\u2019t measure up. Social media can make us think that others are smarter, wealthier, more attractive, happier and better off than we are.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, this is a false narrative that you can never measure up to, so it\u2019s not surprising that such comparisons can contribute to or even lead to mental health disorders<\/a> like anxiety and depression.<\/p>\n The fear of missing out, or FOMO, is just an extension of skewed perception and unhealthy comparison, whereby you assume that if you do what other people are doing, you will be as happy and fulfilled as they appear to be. Again, this is a false narrative, because so much of what we see on social media is staged. Unfortunately, assuming you\u2019re missing out on all the fun other people are having can leave you feeling lonely and depressed.<\/p>\nCommunication Breakdown<\/h2>\n
Instant Gratification<\/h2>\n
Skewed Perceptions and Unhealthy Comparisons<\/h2>\n
Fear of Missing Out<\/h2>\n
Digital Overload<\/h2>\n