The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health

i think social media just allows people to peer into others minds, as in writing we can all say whatever is in our minds better and express ourselves better, this then results in it being pretty obvious and see through the mental conditions people have as it goes right past any facade and gives us a insight into their mind.

so social media shows us the true scope of mental illness, to say it causes mental illness and try get it shut down because of that is kinda like society wanting to hide the issue again and sweep the issue under a rug. society peered into the minds of its people and was shocked to find the majority are mentally ill and society likely doesnt have a answer to that which it sees as a problem.

It hasn’t impacted on my mental health in any way. I am in control of what I see. I would say that it has helped my physical health though, as I stumbled across reels on IG that led me to start exercising a new way which I enjoy.

I have FB which is mainly to keep in contact with family, and where I am a member of a few useful groups. IG I occasionally post to, or scroll through looking at the things I’m interested in. Social media is what you make it. If you surround yourself with negative people, it’s only going to upset you.

The impact of social media on mental health can vary depending on the individual and their specific usage habits. Research suggests that excessive use, passive consumption, and negative comparisons to others can contribute to feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. On the other hand, moderate use and active engagement can lead to positive outcomes, such as developing a sense of community, finding support, and connecting with others who share similar interests.

To ensure that social media use does not negatively impact well-being, here are some general recommendations:

1. Set boundaries: Limit the amount of time spent on social media platforms and establish specific times for usage to prevent excessive use.
2. Engage actively: Focus on interacting with others, sharing your thoughts, and contributing to discussions rather than passively consuming content.
3. Curate your feed: Follow accounts that inspire and uplift you and avoid those that trigger negative emotions.
4. Monitor your emotions: Pay attention to how social media use affects your mood and well-being, and adjust your usage accordingly.
5. Seek real-life connections: Prioritize face-to-face interactions and nurture relationships outside of social media platforms.
6. Take breaks: Schedule regular social media detoxes to allow yourself time to focus on other aspects of life and maintain a healthy balance.

It is difficult to definitively conclude whether social media has a net positive or negative effect on mental health, as this depends on factors such as individual use patterns, existing mental health conditions, and personal circumstances. However, by being mindful of one's social media habits and implementing the above recommendations, it is possible to mitigate potential negative effects and enhance the positive aspects of social media use.

Hi Kals! 

I think the effects of social media can greatly vary from person to person. For me, I used to find other people's posts about their lives quite irksome especially when I had a massive backlog of people who I had as 'friends' who I didn't actually speak to. I ended up doing a massive cleanse of my social media a few years ago where I deleted anyone who I didn't actually speak to or want to know about, and then unfollowed people who I did speak to but didn't want to see constant life updates from and that was a massive help. I also reduced pressure on myself to continuously reply and respond to people's posts by telling people that I don't really go on social media and use it for messaging only. That way when family posts there's no expectation that I will have looked at it because honestly keeping up with that was draining! 

For me, I think the most important thing was making it work for what I wanted. My Facebook account became a place for memes, recipes and good news stories so it was nice to scroll through. Though, social media can be a time wormhole for me so I have wellbeing timers set on my phone to make me more mindful so I spend a limited amount of time on it each day. I have other things I want to do. 

Pip