Social media is part of our lives and it isn’t going anywhere for the foreseeable future. Many people visit social platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat daily for various reasons. Some even use it to grow e-commerce or earn a living.
However, like most things in life, social media has pros and cons, and health care providers continue to warn of its impact on mental health.
Pros of Social Media for Mental Health
1. Connect with Friends and Family
Humans need close connections and friendships to thrive, and social media platforms draw millions of users from across the world. You can make new friends and connect with old friends living thousands of miles away through messages, groups, live chats, and other means of connection.
While social media friends cannot replace real friends, the platform offers a chance to grow close connections and relationships. It is also easier to find long-forgotten friends, reconnect, or keep in touch with family members. No other time in recorded history can boast the connections that arise out of social media platforms.
2. Ability to Raise Awareness on Important Issues
Mental health issues seldom make headlines because of their delicate nature. This includes all matters concerning drug abuse and addiction, violence, problem gambling, anxiety, depression, bullying, and domestic violence, to mention a few. Social platforms also reach millions of people around the world, including victims of mental health issues. They make it possible to create networks, help centers, and forums that can address these issues and find sustainable health care solutions.
Health and help facilities can also share resourceful information, provide customer support, or integrate telemedicine through social platforms. Advocates can easily create awareness of both widespread and regional mental health issues to help find practical solutions.
3. An Outlet for Creativity and Self-Expression
You can create social media accounts and profiles where you have close to 100% control. Millions of users also share the platforms, so you can make an impact. If you have a creative mind, you can share your imagination and expressions with the world through social media.
You can share personal stories, skills, innovations, art, and anything else you wish. Sharing videos, articles, pictures, audio and all kinds of media also allow you to self-express or vent out. This is one way to get rid of negative emotions and create new connections to reach full potential.
Cons of Social Media
1. Encourages Anti-Social Behavior
Social media can result in anti-social behavior, especially when you forget the importance of regular face-to-face interactions. Although social media’s goal is to bring people closer and socialize, it is easy to start comparing your life with that of your online friends.
This can be detrimental to your mental health, resulting in dissociative behavior. Most profiles feature only the best content and some have fake news, so it is easy to be depressed concerning your current living status, especially when your friends seem to have the “perfect” life.
2. Develops Depression and Anxiety
Anti-social behavior is only the start. If misused, social media can result in extreme cases of dissociative behavior and anxiety. It all begins with self-isolation from groups and social hangouts, which leads to loneliness. Social media can also keep you awake, making it difficult to fall asleep, eat, or focus. The continued strain on your body only leaves you more susceptible to mental health issues, such as anger, agitation, sadness, mood swings, anxiety, and depression.
3. Leads to Self-Absorption
Social media can keep you preoccupied with your situation and feelings, so much that you forget long-lasting relationships. Smartphones find ways to meetings, the dining table, bedroom, and everywhere you go. It is easy to spend more than two-thirds of your time online, further pushing you away from real friends. The need for more likes, followers, and comments can also lead to mental health issues and FOMO (fear of missing out).
Find Professional Mental Health Care in Dallas
If you have concerns about the negative impacts of social media on mental health, you can reach Diamond Physicians for help. We are a primary health care provider serving Fort Worth, Dallas, and dedicate our services to helping all our clients get the best help through concierge medicine services. Contact our customer support desk today to find out more about mental health issues and how to find help.