Are you also worried about your own or your kid’s addiction to social media? Or do you feel lost after scrolling TikTok & Reels for hours on your smartphone? Even if you are a normal person who is just curious about the Common Dangers of Social Media in your life, this article would be very helpful to you. It will help you keep safe and healthy.
Social media has engaged more people over the decade and was further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. As per Statista, around 5.17 billion people will be using social media in 2024, which is projected to grow to 6 billion by 2027. Many health agencies in the US and across the world have raised concerns over the overuse of social media among all age groups and the threat it poses to people.
social media use is not regulated, it starts taking over one’s life. All walks of life, from physical, mental, and social lives, are affected. Thus, this article will discuss the major threats or dangers social media poses to its users. So, let’s go straight into it.
What are the Dangers of Social Media?
This refers to the potential problems social media causes different people owing to its unregulated use. This includes things like addiction, physical & mental health problems, etc.
This article will discuss the major negative effects social media poses to people. So let’s discuss them one by one.
Dangers to Mental Health
#1 Stress
Stress refers to the feeling of being under pressure or threat due to someone or something. It is accompanied by physical, mental, and emotional responses and, if sustained over a long period of time, can be harmful to health. Stress can be identified by physical, mental, and behavioral symptoms. However, since there are no clear indicators, it’s very hard to determine when someone is under stress.
Social media can also cause stress, particularly among the adolescent population. It can arise in cases like.
- Constantly updating posts on social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat.
- They feel envy and discomfort seeing others’ posts. They think their pals are always doing better than them.
- FOMO or fear of missing out on social media posts and story updates.
- For youths, often cyberbullying can also be a source of stress.
#2 Emotional Exhaustion
This refers to the mental state when people feel drained and exhausted emotionally. This results from a sum total of the stress and anxiety we have from our environment, like job, home, friends, poor health and trauma, etc. It is a form of burnout but in terms of emotions. People on social media who experience emotional exhaustion stop enjoying things that were once joyous and meaningful. This can make them feel worse.
Using Facebook, WhatsApp messaging & Instagram for hours every day for extended periods of time can cause emotional exhaustion. Constantly bombarding our senses with sensational audio-visual content just fatigues our brains, which are not designed to sustain such information overload. When we use too much social media, we start to enjoy it less and less.
#3 Anxiety
It is a feeling of fear or discomfort we feel when we encounter a stressful situation. For example, people get anxious before an interview. They start feeling panic and fear due to pressure in that situation.
Anxiety is linked to social media in multiple ways. Social media users have been reported to be more anxious. When they are using social media, they feel anxious due to envy, hatred, etc, and when they are not using it, they are anxious due to fear of missing something. In short, social media is like a double-edged sword that causes pain both ways. Further, such anxiety causes poor mental health and makes people more likely to consume alcohol.
#4 Depression
It is a mental disorder where people feel a lack of pleasure, have bad moods, have no interest in doing work, and have constant anxiety over a long period of time. It is estimated that around 280 million people around the world have depression. Depression is often identified with these:
- Lack of concentration
- Insomnia
- Annoyed and lack of interest
- Low energy and drive
- A feeling of guilt and suicidal thoughts
A study has shown that people who use Facebook are more likely to be depressed. Social media companies like Facebook have internal research results that are shocking and show one out of three teenage girls has worsened body image issues. Also, people who use less social media show fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety. All this is because if people spend less time on Facebook, Instagram, etc., they will see less content that makes them anxious, envious, and feel bad about themselves.
If your child is spending more than three hours a day on social media, the twice the risk of depression he has. Social media use and depression are co-related.
Helpful resources
- National Suicide Prevention Hotline (or call 988)
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder
- Psychologist Locator
#5 Social Media Addiction
Kids and adolescents spend more time on mobile for social media and gaming. They occasionally don’t behave well when you ask them to leave the phone aside. According to the US Surgeon General Advisory, not enough evidence is yet available to support the addiction. We don’t know when the clinical diagnosis will be made, and results will be public, but such behaviors are clear indications of addiction.
They constantly keep their phones in their hands, switching between different apps, refreshing feeds, and checking their timelines for likes and comments to feel good. It releases dopamine, and they don’t want to put their phones aside. The average screen time has reached 6 hours 37 minutes daily. It is approximate to school hours or work hours. This adversely affects their well-being, relationships, and responsibilities towards family and society.