Is Social Media Causing More Harm Than Good for Mental Health?
- Yatharth K
- Aug 2, 2024
- 2 min read
Introduction
In contemporary society, everyone is into the use of social networks. With the help of social media as the new form of communication and dissemination of information, its influence on people’s psychological state has become a current issue. In this blog let’s look at the positive and negative impacts of social media on our mental health and tips on creating a good relationship between ourselves and social media.
The Influence of Social Media on Self-Esteem
One of the common controversies of social media on the mental health of users is self-esteem. The perfectly selected and even high-fantasy content that populations are exposed to on social media results in direct comparisons regarding lives looks, and achievements. It is such a comparison that may lead to the creation of a negative self-image and thus puts the health of the discoverer at risk.
Navigating Cyberbullying and Online Harassment
Another feature of the social media influence on mental health relates to using social networks as a tool for cyberbullying and harassment. Thus, thanks to anonymity people turn to aggressive or derogatory actions on the internet and cause significant harm to the mental health of their victims. Another factor is the permanency of online content, the mention of which amplifies, or rather prolongs, the sufferings of the victims of cyberbullying and highlights the requirements for anti-cyberbullying measures.
Fostering Positive Connection and Support
The change, however, brings about the challenges of social media but at the same time, it brings about the opportunities of creating healthy relationships and support systems. For this reason, many people seek comfort in online platforms in which they are surrounded by like-minded people, facing the same issues, or simply with the same orientation. Also, social media plays a role in advocacy and education on matters touching on mental health, enabling the discovery of more information on the same.
Conclusion
It can be said that the influence of social media on the condition of mental health can be ambiguous and have both advantages and drawbacks. Thus, users should remain conscious about their activities and limit their usage of social media. The actions, therefore, that one can take in the effort to protect one’s mental health in the digital realm include digital abstinence, the quest for offline relationships, and self-care. Overall, it can be agreed that social media has revolutionized how people interact with society but its effect on mental health is questionable at best. Thus, fostering positive emotions and encouraging the proper usage of social media could help to benefit from this useful tool while protecting one’s mental health from worsening.






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