Social Media Does More Harm Than Good

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Social media holds a stupendous number of negative impacts on one’s well-being. While social media platforms can have their benefits, using them too frequently can make you feel increasingly unhappy and isolated in the long run.

These public networks negatively impact self-esteem, creating a bed for poor body image. Body image is an issue for many young people, both male and female. Studies have shown that when women in their teens and early twenties view Facebook for only a short period of time, body image concerns are higher compared to non-users. When we compare ourselves to others in the way we look, where we go on vacation, or who we’re dating, we feed into social media’s trend of degrading our self-worth based on fake ideals.

Furthermore, social media is the cause of many people’s increased feelings of depression and anxiety. Research suggests that young people who spend more that 2 hours per day on social media are more likely to have poor mental health, including psychological distress. The Child Mind Institute stated; “Survey results found that Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram all led to increased feelings of depression, anxiety, poor body image and loneliness”. When we have a spare moment in line at the bank, or we are bored in the passenger seat in the car, we might open our phone to check our Instagram feed. This is us filling the spaces by consuming other peoples’ social media with the endless feed on Instagram/Snapchat/Facebook, etc. Consumption robs us of great ideas, interactions, and makes us less focused. This is a bleeding factor into depression and loneliness; lack of human communication and creativity.

The social platforms available put us at a higher risk for cyberbullying. Bullying during childhood is a major risk factor for a number of issues including mental health, education and social relationships, with long-lasting effects often carried right through to adulthood. The worrisome and unsafe feelings kindled by social media platforms is proven by Forbes’ statement; “the American Academy of Paediatrics has warned about the potential for negative effects of social media in young kids and teens, including cyber-bullying.”

The affects social media holds on sleep is presented in the numerous studies that have shown that increased social media use has a significant association with poor sleep quality in young people. Using phones, laptops, and tablets at night before bed is also linked with poor quality sleep.

Seeing the negative weight placed upon one’s mind and behaviour “can be unhealthy and has been linked to feelings of envy, inadequacy and less satisfaction with life. Studies have even suggested that it can lead to ADHD symptoms, depression, anxiety, and sleep deprivation,” (UNICEF). We must address the link between social media and mental health and fight the problem at its roots.