Indeed, studies from the USA have found a robust association between intense social media use,
fear of missing out
and both depression and anxiety. From another angle, online platforms may also have the potential to damage mental wellbeing through promoting unreasonable expectations.
Using social media more often, though, increases FOMO and feelings of inadequacy, dissatisfaction, and isolation. In turn, these feelings
negatively
affect your mood and worsen symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.
Using social media more often, though, increases
FOMO and feelings
of inadequacy, dissatisfaction, and isolation. In turn, these feelings negatively affect your mood and worsen symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.
If it's making you feel more anxious,
limiting your own exposure to social media intake in
a structured way can be helpful. One example could be giving yourself a set amount of time on social media, or allowing yourself social media time at the end of the day.
Not only has social media been proven to cause unhappiness, but it can also
lead to the development of mental health issues
such as anxiety or depression when used too much or without caution.
There's bad news for those self-proclaimed social media “addicts”: multiple studies from the last year show that too
much
time spent on your favorite platforms can make you depressed and less satisfied with life. It starts early, too; even young teens report negative effects from social media obsession.
- Pro: Raises awareness. …
- Con: Promotes fake news. …
- Pro: Can combat loneliness. …
- Con: Can increase loneliness. …
- Pro: Normalises help seeking behavior. …
- Con: Encourages anti-social behaviour.
Most people who have social media accounts are able to check their
notifications without feeling any form of anxiety
. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America says that 20% of people with social media account cannot go more than three hours without checking them which can be a symptom of social media anxiety.
How can I stop my fear and anxiety?
- Take time out. It's impossible to think clearly when you're flooded with fear or anxiety. …
- Breathe through panic. …
- Face your fears. …
- Imagine the worst. …
- Look at the evidence. …
- Don't try to be perfect. …
- Visualise a happy place. …
- Talk about it.
Deleting social media apps, logging out of all accounts, and taking even just a week off can help recharge
emotional health
and rid one's life of the immense negativity that social media can create. If you aren't ready to take this step, don't worry. Instead, limit your social media time and keep yourself accountable.
However, social media use can also
negatively affect teens
, distracting them, disrupting their sleep, and exposing them to bullying, rumor spreading, unrealistic views of other people's lives and peer pressure. The risks might be related to how much social media teens use.
It is characterized by
constantly checking what friends/followers are doing
so as not to miss out. FoMO has been associated with lower mood and life satisfaction and higher levels of social media engagement which in turn results in increased experiences of FoMO.
Social media addiction is a
behavioral addiction
A 2019 study found that teens who spent more time online were more likely to have
mental health conditions
. Other studies find that social media users end up feeling more lonely, more isolated, and less self confident.
According to new research,
social media behavior can severely damage real-life relationships
, especially the relationship between a parent and a child. … The survey finds that 16% of people say their relationship with their partner was damaged by compromising posts on social media.
