In today's era, most people are using social media. People stay in touch with each other through this, but the addiction to social media is now making people mentally ill as well. But why is this happening? Understand what advice the experts give on the use of social media.
Social Media and Mental Health: Nowadays, as soon as people wake up in the morning, they first pick up their mobile and start scrolling social media. Photos on Instagram, status on Facebook, and messages on WhatsApp - the day starts with the screen itself. Till a few years ago, social media was a means of connecting people. Friends, relatives, and even strangers from all over the world could connect with each other. It became easy to share photos, know new trends, and show a part of your life. But as this habit increased, its side effects also started becoming visible.
Now these habits of social media gradually start affecting our mind and mood. This is also deteriorating mental health. Dr. AK Vishwakarma of the Psychiatry Department at Ghaziabad District Hospital says that everyone shows a good part of their life on social media, beautiful photos, expensive travel, great lifestyle. Seeing these, many people start underestimating their life. This thing leads to stress, anxiety and sometimes even depression.
Getting addicted to the dopamine hit that likes provide
Another big problem is the dopamine hit. The brain gets a small amount of happiness with every like and comment, and slowly it becomes like an addiction. If the post gets fewer likes, the mood gets spoiled. Experts believe that this pattern works in the same way as if someone gets addicted to sugar or gaming.
Negative effect on sleep
Social media also has a direct impact on sleep. Scrolling till late night does not allow for proper sleep and the brain remains tired. This fatigue leads to lack of concentration, irritability and mental fatigue the next day. People are also becoming victims of loneliness due to excessive use of social media. Social media users believe that the people who follow them are connected to them, care for them, but in real life they are just a number. Real relationships and conversations are left behind.
Meet people in the real world
A report by the University of Pennsylvania published in NCBI stated that people who use social media less have fewer symptoms of stress and depression than those who live their lives only through social media. This clearly shows that people who live their lives by exposing both their good and bad qualities to the world are happier than those who are anxious to apply a new filter every week.
So the question is what is the solution to this?
Dr AK says that there is no need to give up social media completely, but it is important to use it in a balanced manner. Keep a fixed time for social media in the day, avoid unnecessary scrolling and give up the habit of using the phone before sleeping. Also, it is most important to give time to relationships in your real life.
