Social media brings people together on a global scale like never before utilizing a variety of online venues, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Social media has some of the most amazing potential; it can bring people together who are geographically separated, it can provide support networks for those who are struggling, and it can give those who don’t have a voice a chance to do so—the possibilities are unlimited. However, as social media usage expands in daily life, certain negative impacts are starting to show.
In this world of zeros and ones, you could have hundreds or thousands of so-called friends and followers. Most of them, if not all of them, have never really met you, and you have no way of knowing whether what they’re writing is accurate. Loneliness is often exacerbated by poor social media encounters.
Social media or loneliness: which came first?
Before participating in hazardous social media behavior, some adults and teenagers already experience a life of loneliness or self-perceived social awkwardness. When this is the case, social media use, especially among teenagers, frequently makes loneliness worse.
On the other hand, there are several instances of adults and teenagers who did not previously struggle with loneliness due to poor social media usage but did so afterward.
What aspects of social media are making us Anti-Social?
There is a false feeling of connectedness.
Using these platforms leads to people being around others less in real life, even though it was intended to encourage people to be more sociable. We no longer participate in social groups in real life, which means we are missing out on direct personal input.
Online, we become more concerned about fitting in than we do offline.
Our drive to join online cliques and groups might cause us distress. We might enter a state where we lose our social connections and feel increasingly alone. A continual worry of rejection surrounds online “likes,” as well. It may be detrimental to us if someone doesn’t get the “likes” they deserve.
It affects the way we feel.
I recently uploaded a picture on Instagram without using any filters. I was courageous to do that, an adolescent I work with told me. Brave. Posting filtered, airbrushed, or edited photos of oneself online can have a long-term negative impact on our self-esteem. We lose the self-assurance we need to accept and appreciate ourselves just as we are, choosing instead to look for outside validation and subject ourselves to impossible standards.
Fear of missing out.
Creating stories about yourself and believing that everyone else is doing fantastic things while you don’t happen when you are sitting at home and believe that everyone else is doing these amazing things.
Connections are only superficial.
When it comes to social media and loneliness, this is among the most crucial factors. We miss out on genuine and meaningful friendships because we don’t allow ourselves the chance to meet people in person; instead, we stay glued to our gadgets and look for superficial connections on social media.
How can we help teenagers have a pleasant experience on social media?
The best kind of treatment is avoidance. Before it spirals out of control, loneliness brought on by social media may be stopped. Your initial approach to using social media is where it all begins.
Treatment
Social media use is similar to addictive behavior in certain ways. Social media illnesses are sometimes effectively treated in the same way as addiction is.
Before receiving assistance for their negative online conduct, a person must first acknowledge that they have a problem. This crucial acknowledgment is necessary for all types of addiction. Without it, the individual lacks the motivation to change.
Create a Plan
Reducing the time spent on social media is a wonderful place to start. According to research, restricting teenagers’ and young adults’ daily social media use to less than 30 minutes can have a huge favorable impact on both groups.
You may also install software that blocks websites and set timers to stop you or your child from frequently visiting their preferred social networking sites.
Reflect, then go forward.
Every phase of the social media rehabilitation process necessitates contemplation. Continual evaluation of the procedure is required to determine whether the treatment is beneficial and whether the patient is an adult or a teen.
Make modifications if something isn’t working, then carry on. If your efforts don’t immediately bear fruit in large quantities, try not to be too harsh on yourself or your adolescent. Most addictive behaviors require time to overcome. Maintaining focus on the broader objective of breaking free from the bonds of destructive social media habits is crucial.
Conclusion:
Social media doesn’t always seem to be a bad thing, but it’s not. Social networking has numerous benefits, including the ability to instantly remain in touch with family and friends, rekindle old friendships, and discover things in common with others in our surroundings. However, it doesn’t take long for us to misuse its features as the world develops around this potent tool for communication.
1 Comment
Very interesting 👌