Social Media’s Serious Side-Effects

When we get hooked on social media posts, are we swiping away our good mental health? Discover the evidence as to why overusing social media may lead to anxiety, depression, distorted reality, and sleep-deprivation.

Does poor emotional health mean you should deactivate or delete all of your social media accounts? Maybe. Determine if you can benefit from stepping away from social media sites and apps through the awareness you gain from the following information regarding its many possible downsides.

Anxiety from Social Media

Inner restlessness, nervousness, panic attacks, and fight or flight responses are all symptoms of anxiousness. If you bite your nails awaiting a reply to a DM or get into heavy conflicts online, you likely have social media-induced anxiety.

Reducing anxiety caused by social media encounters is possible. Block any upsetting individuals or set your account to private. Take deep breaths, burn off excess energy through exercise, and limit your intake of caffeinated beverages to curb anxiety.

Depression from Social Media

Overwhelming sadness can completely debilitate an otherwise healthy person causing drastic changes in appearance, appetite, and the ability to enjoy life. Pervasive negativity can stem from overusing social media, although you may think it is not related to this usage.

Attempt to minimize time on social media and more time with IRL (in real life) family and friends and see if you feel less depressed. Increasing facetime and decreasing screen time instantly helps to connect to your support system and feel more a part of your family and group of friends.

Distorted Reality from Social Media

Body image and beauty standards are no longer only tied to fashion magazines and runways. Social media is chock full of pictures, selfies, and manipulated videos to look better through filters, lighting, and photo editing.

If your self-esteem is suffering because of this distorted view of what other people are doing or how they look compared to you, take a step back. Venture out without your phone or tablet and take a look at the people in stores and your neighborhood as this is the actual reality we live in, unfiltered and uncut.

Sleep-Deprivation from Social Media

Distractions from social media cause those who use it for three to five hours per day to stay up late on school or work nights, causing problems like the inability to concentrate during the day.

When you limit screen time by turning off any device containing social media an hour before bedtime, this a practical way to fall asleep earlier and stay sleeping longer due to lack of notifications. Don't forget. You can always catch up on everything in the morning.

As you can see, using social media does potentially have some severe side-effects. For those who are more prone to depression, anxiety, warped reality, and lack of sleep, social media is likely to exacerbate these conditions. If this is applicable to you, be extra careful and stay aware of your social media usage and its potentially disastrous results on your health.