Now, the use of social networking websites such as Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook or Tiktok is undoubtedly an indispensable part of modern lives. Millions on earth are using these resources by which they maintain contact with their family and friends and exchange news with them. They are more used to consuming news and entertaining information as well. Still, there looms a growing concern over what the possible consequence of social media might be on our emotional well-being.
Positive effects of social media, others argue, but many warn that it could lead one into comparison and self-esteem difficulties, cyberbullying/harassment incidents that may even lead to addiction or excessive use of screen time. Examples of positive effects of social media on mental health include having access to support groups and online communities. It can become quite difficult for people who are suffering from mental health problems such as depression or anxiety to connect with people like them around their communities. This may lead to isolation and loneliness. Social media helps to bridge gaps by bringing people from all walks of life together who, otherwise, would not have ever met. It is the sense of community and belongingness that can offer great advantages to one's mental health-by providing social support and empathy, alleviating loneliness. Positive Impact on Mental Health: The usability of social media is also effective in increasing one's social connections. Today, living life in the fast lane does not allow many people to find time for a useful and refreshing form of interpersonal communication, thereby giving rise to feelings of isolation and loneliness. Social networking can help overcome some of these effects by giving people an avenue for communication among others, although they could be relatively far. Social media makes it easier to keep up with distant families. Stress could be decreased and hence even lead to the improvement of physical well-being. In addition, social media cannot be ignored for the adverse effects brought about despite the positives. It is very capable of instigating comparison and issues on self-esteem. The endless parade of pictures of the lives other people seem to live on a platform such as Instagram can make a user feel pathetic and, therefore, have low self-worth. Comparison with others can, in some way, affect one's mental health, as these may have resulted in depression or anxiety in other cases. Other negative impacts of social media on mental health include cyberbullying and harassment. Internet bullying can be quite devastating for a person's psychological state, giving a person feelings of hopelessness, shame, and fear. It is the ease in attacking others without fear of retaliation which becomes increased for bullies and trolls using the anonymity of social media. Such harassment is exceptionally insidious in nature. This leads to spending much time on electronic devices and hence low productivity. Some people end up missing important things they should be anxiously dealing with in their lives as they spend too much time scrolling through different social media. These comprise career opportunities or demands from work settings along with making sure that they maintain healthy relationships and physical well-being. Social media dependence can adversely impact mental health by creating emotions such as guilt, stress, and burnout. Social media, according to some, has no inbuilt harm; it is up to individuals to handle its use wisely. While people may try their best to reduce consumption of social media, the fact of the matter is that these platforms are designed with addiction in mind. It becomes difficult to resist their pull. In fact, social media networks can potentially inflict extreme harm on vulnerable groups, such as youth or those with existing psychiatric disorders.
Overall, even though social media may have a few small ways in which they could improve our mental health, the building evidence just indicates that we must not ignore its potential harms. Only through actions to solve problems such as cyberbullying, addiction, and comparison culture can we start our effort to cultivate a healthier relationship with social media. A well-placed effort from people, policymakers, and companies that own social media can help prevent the contribution of these services to negative mental health results. Cooperation and preemption steps may help reduce the negative effects of social media on psychological wellness.
Jürgen Habermas Born in Germany in 1929, Jürgen Habermas Emerged As The Most Important German Philosopher and Socio-Political Theorist of The Second Half of The 20th Century. He Is Among The World
