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The rise of social media has made our global population more connected than ever before.
However, our social media addiction can have a detrimental effect on our mental health, with the average Brit checking his phone 28 times a day.
Although social media platforms may have their benefits, using them too often can make you feel more and more unhappy and isolated in the long run.
The never-ending stream of perfectly filtered photos that appear on Instagram will inevitably spoil the self-esteem of many people, while checking your Twitter feed obsessively just before bedtime could contribute to poor sleep quality.
Here are six ways that social media could negatively affect your mental health without you realizing it.
Self-love
We all have our share of insecurities, some of which we speak openly and others that we prefer to keep for ourselves.
However, comparing yourself to others on social networks by tracking their aesthetically perfect Instagram photos or keeping up to date on the status of their relationship on Facebook would not help to quell your doubts.
A study conducted by the University of Copenhagen revealed that many people suffer from "the urge of Facebook". Those who refrain from using the popular site report that they feel more satisfied with their lives.
"When we get a sense of value based on what we do versus others, we put our happiness into a variable that is totally out of our control," said Dr. Tim Bono, author of When do not love enough explained in Healthista.
By becoming more aware of how much time you spend browsing the online profiles of other users, you can focus more on yourself and build your self-confidence.
Human connection
As human beings, it is so important for us to be able to communicate and establish personal relationships with each other.
However, it can be difficult to do this when we are glued to rectangular screens and we become more familiar with the digital facades of our friends than with their real characters.
Stina Sanders, a former model with 107,000 followers on Instagram, said social media sometimes gave her the impression of being left out.
"I know from my experience that I can get FOMO when I see my friend's photos of an evening I did not attend, which can make me very lonely and anxious," she said. L & # 39; Independent.
A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology out of 5,208 subjects, it was found that, overall, regular use of Facebook had a negative impact on the well-being of an individual.
Memory
Social media can be interesting to look back fondly at memories and tell how past events have occurred.
However, it can also distort the way you remember certain details of your life.
Many of us are guilty of spending too much time trying to take the perfect picture of a visual wonder, without absorbing the direct experience of seeing it with your own eyes.
"If we focus all our attention on capturing the best shots to be admired by our social media followers, they will be less available to enjoy other aspects of the experience in real time," said Dr. Bono .
"Spending too much time on our phones will hurt these other aspects of the experience and undermine the happiness we could derive from it."
To sleep
Having enough sleep is of paramount importance.
However, many of us use our phones too early before choosing hay, making it harder to fall asleep.
"Worrying or envying what we see on social media keeps the brain on alert, preventing us from falling asleep," said Dr. Bono.
"In addition, light from our mobile device just inches from our face can prevent the release of melatonin, a hormone that helps us feel tired."
Try to set yourself as a strict rule of not going on the phone for at least 40 minutes to an hour before going to bed and check if it improves the quality of your sleep.
Duration of attention
You need to worry not only about your subconscious brain, but also about your brain's ability to fully concentrate when you're awake.
While it's amazing how much information is readily available at your fingertips through social media, it also means that people have become much more easily distracted.
"Social media has allowed us to constantly succumb to the temptation of instant, easy-to-access entertainment," said Dr. Bono.
If you can not check your phone for at least a few minutes, you might want to practice exercising your will occasionally.
Mental Health
Social media has not only demonstrated their dissatisfaction, but it can also lead to the onset of mental health problems such as anxiety or depression when they are used excessively or carelessly.
In March, it was reported that more than one-third of Generation Z respondents to a survey of 1,000 people said they were leaving social media for good, and 41% said social media platforms made them feel anxious, sad or depressed.
Ben Jacobs, a DJ with more than 5,000 subscribers on Twitter, decided to take a break from the platform in January 2016 and found the break really beneficial.
"Twitter 's actually made me anxious from time to time, while I understood it slowly, I' m worried about the feelings of the thousands of strangers I 've followed, while I' ve been worried. they did not necessarily know who I was. ", he declared.
"Since my break on Twitter, I've clearer mind with a lot of time to spend on something else, like getting up at 3 am in cold sweat and reading a book instead.
Although you do not necessarily need to leave social media forever, if you feel that this is beginning to bother you, why not consider allocating slots without social media in your daily routine? The slight change could do you a lot of good.
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