Do you know that over 53% of youth mental health is affected by the use of social media? We live in a digital world where social media plays a significant role in our daily lives but it also impacts our mental health. From children to young people (even mature adults), the influence of social media on mental well-being is undeniable.
In this blog, Helplocal – trusted to discover NGOs in India – explores how social media is impacting mental health and the best tips to recover from it.
Let’s start!
Impact of Social Media on Mental Health:
Impact on relationships
Excessive use of social media adversely affects family relations. Youngsters and children often adopt behaviors and habits shown on social media that have no value in real life. This drives them to negativity and they tend to forget about family ties.
Living without purpose
Millions of young individuals chase materialistic goals that they see on social media. Their life goals are disrupted every time they come across something fascinating. This distracts young minds from their purpose, which makes them feel invaluable at some point, creating stress and discomfort that are hard to overcome.
Lack of self-confidence
Youngsters often undermines their own abilities because of social media. They easily adapt to the negative side of social media which leads to low self-esteem. People feel less confident and fail to pass through situations in real life as they are not prepared for them in virtual world.
Want to lower your stress and get away from social media? Get a dog and play these games with your dog.
Diminished thinking ability
According to recent studies, around 37% of young people have reported experiencing cyberbullying at some point in their lives which negatively effects their thinking ability. Social media gives children access to vast amount of data and they use their own thinking abilities scarsely. It creates barriers to success in the future due to limited thinking ability. Check out this white paper for more on how social media affects thinking
Impact on mental well-being
According to recent studies, individuals who spend more than 2 hours per day on social media are more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Social media is an interesting medium to interact with each other but sometimes it can make you feel low. You might feel depressed by seeing others’ perfect lives.
Tips to improve mental health
Here are some healthy tips to improve mental health:
Turn off notifications
As soon as youngsters hear notifications sound on their phones they forget what they are doing at the moment and start digging in to see what’s there. Turning off notifications can help you get out of this trouble and see what’s new on social networks. It will reduce their time consumption on social media and can have a healthy effect on mental health.
Deactivating accounts
One can take a break from social media so that they can enjoy time with their friends and family. Life is much more elegant and beautiful outside this small electronic world. Living life and playing outdoors will enhance mental health. You can take short breaks to enjoy time with loved ones, share old memories, and enjoy the moment.
Limit screen time
Setting a specific time limit for the use of social media can also be a great tip to improve mental health. Young people should set a specific time for them which will help them be more focused on other important things. Allocating time for other activities will also help with their personal growth and self-esteem.
Learn the best ways to support someone with depression and anxiety.
Build a supportive network
Be aware of how people on social media make you feel. If youngsters’ mental health is being affected by these people they should let them go. They should focus more on surrounding themselves with positive and supportive people online. This will help in encouraging and uplifting their growth. Good surroundings always have a positive impact on your mental health.
Social Media and Mental Health: End Note
Above is everything you need to know about the impact of social media on mental health. Social media has a major impact on youth mental health, so it’s important to use it wisely. You can manage the digital world while protecting your mental health and embracing your positive journey by following these simple yet useful tips.
Got any queries to ask? Send them to hello@helplocal.in and have them answered by our experts!
Connect with Helplocal India on Instagram
Also, read:
Best games to play with your cat: 2023 playlist
Health care and wellness tips for senior citizens
