If you are thinking social media can only be bad, you probably are not looking at the big picture. You may think it is a waste of time if you are only using it to interact with your friends and family or to look at others and show off what they have. It can also be bad if you’re using it to compare to others and feel bad about yourself!
However, to get out of this dilemma, one has to understand that social media can be a good way for self-improvement, connections, and networking.
How social media affects your mental health?
Social media is a powerful tool that can have a huge impact on your mental health. A person is likely to miss some important moments of their real life, by spending too much time on social media and not getting enough sleep if they are addicted to it.
There has been a huge increase in the number of people with mental health disorders and most of them are relating it or blaming it on social media. This is especially true for teenagers. Our social media feeds are flooded with images, videos, and information that give us the impression that everyone else is having a greater time than we are.
It can also lead to self-image issues or comparing our bodies, lifestyles, partners, and jobs to others, etc. If you are looking for someone to help you deal with your anxiety or depression that is a direct result of social media use, then there is no better person than a professional counselor.
However, we can still tell you that it’s probably a great idea to take a break from it or to ditch it all together once and for all if it starting to play on your nerves and mental health.
The problem is that most social media posts can be very triggering to some people. The people that suffer the most will be those who do not understand that others are only displaying the best times of their lives and not their arguments or problems, on social media platforms. Or they may not even realize that others could have an ugly side to their lives too or have things they’re not so proud about or happy about.
The pros and cons of quitting social media:
Here is a list of pros and cons to quitting social media, so that you can consider doing all and make an informed decision for yourself.
If you feel that social media is affecting you or your mental health then you probably just need a little push anyway before you decide to de-activate all of your accounts and take a break. Or, go as far as deleting them so there’s no turning back!
-Pros of quitting social media:
1- Connecting with our loved ones:
-If we are not careful, we can easily become addicted to the internet and miss important things in our lives. We will find ourselves spending more than necessary time online and therefore miss out on fulfilling activities that can help us bond and connect with our loved ones in real life.
2- Social media can be intrusive:
-Social media is intrusive and the distractions it presents are endless. We will never be able to escape its influence on our lives and our work. The more you share info with others on social media the less privacy and discretion you have.
3- Preserve your sanity and mental health:
-It can also lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and other mental health issues. It can also cause us to compare ourselves to others and feel pressured to match their timeline, success and whatever achievements others show off. This can cause a lot of anxiety, low self-esteem, and even depression.
4- Protecting yourself from anonymous bullies:
-The social media world can be a dangerous place. It’s full of people who are unkind, untrustworthy, and unreliable because they’re hiding behind their screens. If you have been a victim of cyber-bullying you may understand very well how serious it could get.
5- Imbalanced perspective or idea of life:
-It is easy to lose touch with the real world and to start believing that everyone else is so attractive, so rich and so happy when we’re too immersed in the social media world.
One look into our real-life world will help us see how much other people may be struggling in real life and how untrue it is that we’re the most hideous, unhappy, or poorest person alive.
This will help us be more content with who we are, what we have and be grateful for it all and stay positive.
Cons:
-Social media is a great place to stay updated with the latest news, and information about your products or services. But, this can also be done through other devices such as watching the news via a TV and away from the internet or reading every day’s newspaper.
-A quick way to connect with our loved ones and stay up-to-date about their lives, thoughts, and what they’re going through. But, don’t forget that they’re also reachable by phone and one phone call can allow you to not only know how they’re doing but get closer to them than you’ll ever do through social media posts…
Bottom line:
Social media is a great way to share things with people you know and even others that you don’t know if you choose to. However, it can be quite annoying for those who have anxiety problems or who are struggling with self-image.
This can make them feel different from others and will make their lives a lot more stressful than they should be. In order to curb this problem, many people may choose to quit social media altogether and spend their free time focusing on developing a hobby they have that can also make them money, or do something more productive.
If you’re a tech person then giving up social media in favor of other digital activities can be beneficial. You can pick activities such; as watching movies, playing video games, or even starting a Youtube channel.
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