Entry #6: Put Your Phone Down, It's Good For You.

Hello, everyone, welcome to another blog post. As you may know, the widespread availability of smartphones and social media platforms has made it easier than ever to connect with your friends, share experiences, entertainment, and stay informed about current events. While these technologies have many benefits, they can also contribute to negative mental health outcomes, particularly for those of you who overuse them. There are many adverse mental health affects that social media causes that you may want to look out for.

Social media can expose you to a constant stream of information and news, which can be overwhelming and create a sense of information overload. This can lead to feelings of anxiety, stress, and depression as you may feel like you need to keep up with all of the updates and news in order to stay informed. It can also expose you, or others, to negative comments, cyberbullying, and other forms of online harassment, which can be very stressful and anxiety-inducing. This can lead to you feeling isolated, lower your self-esteem, and other negative emotions. I've heard of stories where cyberbullying has even gotten people to commit suicide, for example, Channing Smith. Two of his classmates publicized screenshots of explicit texts of him with another man, but the bullying got to be too much for him, and unfortunately, he took his own life.

Social media can lead to social comparison and feelings of inadequacy, as people often present an idealized version of their lives online, which can create a sense of pressure to keep up with others. But before going into more detail, don't compare yourself to others. The only person you should compare yourself to is yourself. Look back a year ago and see what kind of person you were, you should only seek to be better than that person was. Continuing on, people tend to choose perfect moments to show what their life is like on social media, but don't tend to post about the other, non-perfect times in their lives. This can create a sense of pressure to present a similarly idealized version of one's own life online, which can be stressful and anxiety-inducing. Furthermore, social media can create a sense of competition and comparison, as people may feel like they need to keep up with others and present a similarly perfect version of their own life in order to fit in. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy and anxiety, as people may feel like they are not living up to the idealized standards that are presented on social media.

Lastly, social media can also distract you from the other things in life, like quality family time, work, and responsibilities. Do you remember when the last time you sat down with to just relax together was? Laying down and continuing to scroll through social media can give you a dangerous amount of comfort. The reason I say it's dangerous, is because it can waste a lot of your time from the things that you want to do, but feel too lazy to do. As a result of wasting so much time, you may feel empty, depressed, or weak. The feeling of getting nothing done can take a large toll on your mind, as it has on mine in the past. Scrolling for large periods of time can also prevent you from sleeping, which is crucial for your mental health and body.

Speaking personally, I can relate to having problems with social media addiction. Before I noticed it was a problem, I used to spend the majority of my days off from work just scrolling on TikTok. By the end of the day, I'd realize I haven't done anything. I was aware that I needed to do laundry, go grocery shopping, and prepare meals, but my days would be gone before I knew it. This caused me to feel useless and weak, so I decided to change it. I decided that I would spend less time on my phone and dedicate more time with my family, doing things I needed to get done, and going to the gym. Since then, I've felt happier in my life, it was like a breath of fresh air.

In conclusion, while the widespread availability of smartphones and social media platforms has made it easier than ever to connect with others, share experiences, entertainment, and stay informed about current events, these technologies can also contribute to negative mental health outcomes, particularly for those who overuse them. The adverse mental health effects of social media include increased feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness, social comparison, and a sense of inadequacy. It is important to be aware of these risks and to use social media in a responsible and healthy way. Do you personally think you are addicted to social media? If so, try to work on limiting it and bettering your life to lead a happier, more fulfilling life, don't overdo it with social media.