Social media is a part of our daily lives now. With the click of a button, we can connect with friends, share our thoughts and experiences, and access information on any topic. While social media has many benefits, it can also harm our mental health and contribute to substance abuse.
This blog post will explore how social media affects our mental health and substance abuse and how to mitigate the adverse effects.
How social media affect mental health
Many people now use social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, and Instagram to communicate with one another. It's crucial to remember that there is no such thing as a free lunch and that you should never pay for it.
The hormones that reduce stress and make you feel happier, healthier, and more optimistic are only released in direct physical contact with other people. Strangely, social media, meant to unite people, can make you feel more alone and isolated, aggravating mental health issues like anxiety and depression if you spend too much time using it.
Signs that indicate social media is affecting your mental health
The following are signs that your mental health may be negatively impacted by social media:
- Spending more time online than with friends
A lot of your offline social engagement is now replaced by using social media. You need to continuously check social media, even while you're out with friends,
frequently motivated by feelings that others may be having more fun than you are. - Making unfavorable comparisons to others on social media
You have a bad body image or low self-esteem. You might even engage in abnormal eating practices. - Can't focus on work or school
You experience pressure to post frequently about yourself, to receive feedback or likes on your postings, or to retweet and comment on your friends' posts. - Lacking the leisure to think about oneself
You spend all of your free time on social media, leaving you with little to no time to focus on your identity, thoughts, or the reasons behind your actions—the things that help you develop as a person. - Engage in dangerous activities
Using dangerous activity to increase likes, shares, or favorable comments on social media. You commit risky pranks, share embarrassing content, cyberbully people, or access your phone while driving or in other harmful situations. - Unable to sleep properly
Do you check social media when you go to bed at night, when you get up in the morning or both? Your sleep might be disturbed by the light from phones and other electronics, which can harm your mental health. - Signs of anxiety or sadness are getting worse
After using social media, you feel more anxious, depressed, or lonely rather than as though it has helped to lessen destructive emotions and improve your mood. - How social media affects substance abuse
Because of social media, teenagers now have new, risky opportunities for drug exposure. Teenagers are particularly vulnerable to the consequences of what they encounter on social media since they are very impressionable. Kids are exposed to harmful drug and alcohol-related behaviors by famous and everyday individuals alike on websites like Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat.
Celebrities frequently share images of themselves drunk and high on social media, which is starting to impact the young people who view it. Teenagers have also been exposed to their friends and families' behavior in this regard, in addition to celebrities and "influencers." Teenagers are led astray by this type of information, which normalizes and glamorizes behaviors like binge drinking and using illegal and prescription drugs.
Teenagers who frequently use major social media platforms are more likely to drink, use drugs, and purchase tobacco than teenagers who either do not use social media or use it infrequently, according to research from Columbia University's National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse. Two thousand teenagers were questioned about their use of drugs and social media, and 70% admitted using it daily.
To stay on top of drugs and their effects, it is important to know illicit drugs as well as substances like inhalants that are household items. Referring to the Glossary of Drugs on the nonprofit CANDLE, Inc.’s website can familiarize you with an array of substances that are abused.
Do you need a digital detox? 5 Suggestions for unplugging
We must begin somewhere to get out of this social media addiction. Try making these modest, doable changes:
Stop setting alarms on your phone. Use an actual alarm clock in its place. It's equally practical and can assist you in avoiding using your phone right before bed.
Disable your alerts. Do you genuinely need Twitter and Facebook updates throughout the day?
Check how much time you spend on your gadget. You can manage your daily consumption with apps like "Screen Time" and "Digital Wellness." Maybe just an hour after dining on your phone? Consider starting your day without looking at Facebook notifications. A few times a week at first.
Don't use your phone while using an iPad, computer, or TV; limit yourself to one gadget at a time.
Avoid using your phone when in uncomfortable social situations. Furthermore, avoid checking your texts while having a conversation.
Above all things, be cautious to avoid texting or accessing the internet while driving.
A few words to parents
Parents should become familiar with the social media platforms their children use. There can be a learning curve to the platforms, but that needs to be overcome to keep children safe. The socialmediavictims.org site offers insight on platforms like Snapchat, Tik Tok and Instagram that will explain why monitoring is so important.
Conclusion
In conclusion, social media has many benefits but can also negatively impact our mental health and contribute to substance abuse. To avoid the adverse effects of social media, limit your time on social media, unfollow accounts that make you sad, and seek support from friends or a mental health professional.
By using social media mindfully and responsibly, we can reap the benefits of social connection and information sharing without sacrificing our mental health and well-being.