The Evil Digital Age: How to Balance
In today’s world, everything is hyperconnected to social media. It has become an essential part of our day-to-day lives. We get our entertainment from places like YouTube and TikTok but then we share life updates on Instagram and Facebook. For many it connects us with friends and family, as well as niche communities, inspiration and creativity. Social media and technology have connected us more as a society, but at the same time too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.
Social media is a great tool for self-expression and connecting with others however it comes with some mental health risks.
Impact on Mental Health
Comparison – Comparing yourself or life to others, leading to low self-esteem and anxiety
Addictive – Dopamine is released when you press or receive likes, shares, and or follows. Over time this can cause dependency and affect productivity and sleep.
FOMO – Fear of Missing Out – With all of the popular trends, people want to be included in the ‘fun’ or ‘popularity’. This can fuel anxiety and overall lead to dissatisfaction when it does not work out the same way.
Cyberbullying – Harassment and negative comments / content can impact mental health, leading to loneliness and depression.
Impact on Physical Health
Stationary lifestyle – Hours scrolling means less time moving. This can lead to health issues like obesity and heart disease.
Strain – Long periods of screen time can lead to eye strain and poor posture. Causing headaches and sleep disruptions.
Eating habits – Social media can showcase unhealthy relationships with food, especially in diet culture, with weight-loss trends and unrealistic body standards. This can lead to eating disorders and cause a multitude of other health problems.
Overall, not all things from social media are bad, it is a great place to make connections, find support groups, or even new interests. But too much of a good thing is a bad thing, so we must set boundaries for ourselves.
How to Balance
Set Boundaries – Set screen time and prioritize real life connections and rest.
Only Positive – Only follow accounts that your values and views align with to eliminate the risk of negative content.
Be Mindful – When using social media aim to keep, your intentions and interactions meaningful.
Get Outside – Don't loose track of hobbies or other activities you enjoy, make time for them over social media.
Get Help – In some cases social media use impacts us negatively, do not hesitate to get help when and if you need it.
To start making healthier choices regarding your social media, recognizing the impact it can have on us mentally and physically is important. As it allows you to make better choices based off of what you need for your health.
Written by: Jayda Rodriguez Bolden
November 26th, 2024
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