How do social networking sites control our personalities and mental health?

Weather of Arabia - Today's social networking sites represent a gateway to a virtual world for acquaintance, exchange of ideas and information sharing, and no one denies their benefits, but we must also be aware of their risks to try to avoid them, so how do social networking sites affect mental health? How can its negatives be avoided in order to enjoy its positive impact?

What are social networking sites?

The Internet has developed significantly over the past 25 years, and social networking sites have emerged after that to facilitate people's communication. These sites include many electronic platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, where people interact through discussions, photos, and videos.

Several statistics indicate that approximately 42% of adults use more than one platform, and the majority of social media users are under the age of 30, however, older users are on the rise. [1]

How does social media affect mental health?

The impact of social networking sites on mental health is both negative and positive, and this depends on the method of use.

As for the negatives, they include the following:

loss of self-esteem

Most people look their best when they share their photos or videos when they go hiking or summer trips, and when some people switch between these photos and clips, they feel dissatisfied with themselves and their lives, and they think that everyone is having a good time and their appearance is flawless, which results in Loss of self-esteem Although all of this is unrealistic, as these images undergo many modifications, and none of us lives without troubles.

Depression

Humans need to communicate face-to-face to maintain their mental health, so staying on social media for more than two hours a day may increase the risk of depression as a result of social isolation and loneliness, in addition to the conflicts that may occur on those pages through negative comments, which may cause Fear and anxiety.

cyberbullying

Some people are subjected to cyberbullying on social media through abusive comments, and this may result in painful psychological effects that last for a long time.

self-discontentment

Most people try to look their best as mentioned earlier, and this results in an unhealthy focus on their outward appearance rather than the real goal of photography, which is to create memories with family and friends. Not receiving the desired results and positive comments on social networking sites makes them feel frustration, self-loathing, and loss of self-confidence.

Loss of ability to control impulses

Excessive use of social networking sites may lead to a loss of the ability to control impulses, especially if these sites are loaded on the smartphone because it simply means easy access to all accounts of those sites all the time, which negatively affects focus, sleep, and personal relationships.

What are the signs that indicate the impact of social networking sites on mental health?

Each of us spends an amount of time on these sites differently from the other, there are those who neglect their relationships with others and pay attention to them all the time, which affects their work, school, or university, with a feeling of dissatisfaction and anger, and there are those who use social media to a reasonable extent It benefits rather than harms it, and these are some signs that indicate the negative impact of social networking sites on mental health:

Spend a lot of time: Spend more time on social media than with people in the real world, and thus less self-care, such as exercising and getting enough sleep.

Sleep disorders: Suffering from sleep disturbances as a result of early awakening and late sleep to follow the light emitted by the phone.

Negative comparison: Comparing yourself negatively with others.

Cyberbullying: Being cyberbullied and losing control over what others post about you.

Distraction at school or work: The negative impact on study and work as a result of posting content about yourself on a regular basis, and having to follow likes and comments all the time.

Worsening of depressive symptoms: Feeling more anxious, lonely, and worsening of depressive symptoms as soon as you finish following social networking sites instead of improving your mood.

Exposure to risks: Some may engage in dangerous activities to receive more likes and comments on their website, such as making dangerous pranks, posting embarrassing content, or using the phone while driving.

What are the pros of social networking sites?

Despite all the negatives of the aforementioned social networking sites, they have some benefits, and the pros of social networking sites include the following:

• Increased access to resources: These sites facilitate access to a lot of information, such as support groups, or valuable and useful advice tools.

• Raising Awareness: These sites also contribute to raising awareness by learning more about volunteering opportunities, supporting organizations that have a positive impact on the world, or connecting with people everywhere who have similar values and prioritize the same issues.

• Expand your circle of acquaintances: Social networking sites allow you to meet other people in different areas to expand your circle of knowledge beyond the boundaries of the area or small town in which you live.

• Refine your skills: These sites provide opportunities to benefit from and learn from the experiences of others with similar interests that hone talents and skills, such as learning photography, creative writing, cooking skills, arts, and poetry.

What are the best ways to improve your relationship with social media?

The best ways to improve your relationship with social media sites include:

• Follow-up behavior: Each of us must follow his behavior on these sites and pages, and the purpose of using them, is it purposeful or just for fun and distraction.
• Good sleep: We should all rely on an old alarm clock or a digital alarm to wake up, leaving our smartphone in an adjacent room instead of sitting next to us and watching the light from it all the time.
• Content regulation: We must pay attention to the type of content that we follow precisely, and what is the content that causes us the most distress and negatively affects our mental and psychological health, so that we avoid it and replace it with what is useful and healthy, such as watching documentaries on YouTube.
• Computer use: It is possible to get used to following social networking sites only on a computer instead of constantly following on a mobile phone.
• Find other kinds of fun: Reduce your usual time on social media by doing other activities, such as reading books, hanging out with friends, or watching funny comedy shows.

Remember that you can avoid the negatives of social networking sites by managing the content that you provide or follow, and you have to make sure that your relationship with it does not affect your mental health and social relationships, by constantly following your behavior on these platforms and not overlooking the smallest details, you are the one who chooses whether to use them To waste your time or to invest it.