Do the news stories these days make you depressed? Is social media, fake news or fact, causing some anxiety and even sleepless nights? Are the celebrities you follow on IG causing you to be discontented in your real life? Are you getting jealous about people who get to travel despite the pandemic? Do other people’s posts seem like mental noise? Have you deactivated or left your account at one point ever since the pandemic started? If you answered yes to two or more questions, then we can probably say that social media is bad for our mental health in this pandemic. But, is it really? Read on.
- Related story: Understanding Mental Health and Your Overall Well-being
What is Social Media?
In the past, we only had traditional media. We rely on the TV, radio, and newspapers to gain access to information, news, and even entertainment. Even advertising was only done through these media. Companies send messages to the general public, but they would only know if the communication process was completed if people bought their items or subscribed to their services.
When social media was introduced, people became happy because it was a tool to connect with friends. From the word social, it is about interpersonal relationships. The world became smaller as friends and family from all over can just make contact or be updated with each other’s lives in real-time. No need to wait for the postman to deliver our snail mail after several days or weeks.
Eventually, social media became so much bigger than was anticipated. It is now used for different purposes (sometimes even for bad) and serves a vast variety of interests. News outlets share news, publications share information, and we get entertainment in the form of movies, skits, video features, and more. Even celebrities share their daily lives on social media that the public doesn’t have to wait for official showbiz chika.
What’s very gratifying with social media is that the response is almost instantaneous. Things can quickly escalate to viral mode and the public can react to everything with just a few clicks, which completes the cycle of communication in less than a second. Some even go through the motions to buy active Instagram followers for better engagement on their posts, in the hope that it may lead to brands and influencers reaching out to collaborate with them so that they can earn some money from social media.
Is Social Media Bad for Our Mental Health?
You may have a friend who has deactivated his or her social media in order to achieve peace and some virtual silence. There may be those who may not have been deactivated but just avoid scrolling through other people’s posts. Or it could be you, because you say that social media is bad for our mental health.
One such condition that social media has brought upon us is FOMO, or the fear of missing out. It seems that the different social media incites people to want more, to know more, and to have more. If not updated on a certain trend, a person might feel bad about being left out on the coolest sale events, the hottest items, or the newest happening destinations. There is a real feeling of anxiety related to this.
- Related: YOLO, FOMO and Your Finances
In this pandemic, many people have increased the hours they spent online because they are just staying at home. They keep themselves updated with the latest happenings, especially those issues related to the pandemic. There are also those who thrived on anxiety and fear-mongering, believing as well as spreading fake news about Covid-19 as well as the vaccines.
However, Facebook has recently become like an obituary of sorts because of so many deaths among family and friends that people have also shied away from scrolling so much on updates.
Social Media as a Neutral Tool
But is social media bad for mental health that we have to shun it completely?
Herbalife Nutrition Global Fitness Advisory Board Member Shayamal Vallabhjee begs to disagree. A sports scientist and psychologist, Vallabhjee deals with the nutrition and mental health of athletes. During his online talk for the Herbalife Nutrition e-Wellness Tour, he said that social media is merely a tool.
Like money, food, or other basic needs, social media is just a tool that is now available for all of us. Except for internet charges, probably, most social media platforms are free. And just like any other neutral tool, how we use it and how it affects us depends on us. For example, we can use it as a platform to connect with friends, sell handmade goods, or promote our brand; you can even buy Instagram likes to raise your profile if required.
Vallabhjee also cites that it also depends on who we follow. There are certain personalities on social media that could make the general public feel bad about their situations. They encourage bad habits or a totally irresponsible behaviors. Or their lavish lifestyles and jet-setting activities can make other people just salivate with envy.
As social media users, we have the power of choice. We can follow those that encourage us and add value to our lives. Value can differ between individuals. Some prefer to be educated, others be inspired, while others just want to be entertained and laugh in order to forget the harsh realities of life.
And remember, if someone posts about offensive things that you cannot tolerate and these are already affecting you, there is the BLOCK option.
On social media, you have the power to BLOCK people that do not add value or even diminish the value of your humanity.
In Conclusion
To summarize this, it is not faultless to say that social media is bad for our mental health. In actuality, it is neither good nor bad. It just depends on what we use it for and who we follow. Many people have made productive use of their social media accounts by working on online jobs or starting online businesses during the pandemic.
Since social media involves people, we actually need it in order to keep our sanity in this unpredictable pandemic life. We need to connect and stay updated with each other. Plus, it is also easier to ask for help when the need arises because the replies are almost always instantaneous.
Let’s just all aim to become more responsible digital citizens and help cultivate a healthier social media environment.
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Di nman poh ata masama ang socmed isa din poh itong libangan at pamparelax natin..
Agree ako sa mga namention niyo Mommy Sig and nashare niyo. Talaga nmng may mga Pro’s din ang Paggamit ng Social Media pero may mga Con’s din pero nasasaatin na un kung gusto nating magtagal kakagamit ng Social Media accounts natin.
As long as use of socmed is done in moderation, it is not bad 🙂
Dati po naiisip ko mag-deActivate nung mga time na nasi-stress ako..
Pero ngayon po naging libangan ko na din dahil marami rin akong nasasamahan na community.
Para sakin naman hindi sya naging bad bagkus ginamit ko as a hobby for my Me Time…Magisa lang kasi ako sa bahay at si baby lang kasama ko.Pag tulog sya at wala na kong gingawa Socmed nlng ang tanging place to be para maenjoy ko ang buhay..Dito ko nakakapaginteract sa ibang tao lalo na mahigpit na naman dito hindi kami nakakalabas.Nakatulong din to dagdag sa panggastos namin sa pagsali ko sa mga giveaways at product seeding.Syempre kailangan padin ng disiplina sa paggamit piliin ang taong ifofollow at maging sa oras lagyan ng disiplina
Nasa atin na Kasi kung paano natin gamitin ang social media.
MINSAN makakatulong din ito eh..
Depende po sah mga gumagamit 😊
Super stressful ang mga nakikita ko sa social media. Nakakalungkot sa panahon ng pandemya sumasabay pa ang mga malulungkot at masasakit na post sa social media. Dahil sa pagpopromonatics ko nagagamit ko ang social media sa maganda at nalilibang pa po ako. Ayaw ko lang po sa toxics na post.
Tulad ng kasabihan na “lahat ng sobra nakakasama”. Dapat meron padin tayong self discipline & time management kapag gagamit ng social media. Just be responsible. I also think din na sometimes using social media can help para makapagrelax & super effective pampawala ng bored.
Thanks for sharing this mommy sig.
Natry ko momsh mag deactivate pero ilang oras lang😅😅 nakakatulong dn kasi sya lalo ngayon pandemic at pag nag stay lang sa bahay.. kahit papano may pagkaka abalahan.. pero syempre piliin mo din yong titingnan mo sa social media na mas makakabuti sayo, iwas don sa mga pang stress lng 😅
Mental health is a topic that we shouldn’t take for granted. It is very timely and very important matter to talk about at this time.
Social media has advantages and disadvantages, depende na lang kung saan at paano natin ito gagamitin.
Siguro po balance ang kailangan kasi kahit naman po walang social media nan diyan pa din ang mga nakaka stress na news fake news nasa television kung wala nasa mga tsismosang kapit bahay…hahaha.
Pag nasobrahan sa pag gamit nakakasama lalo pag ang nakikita nababasa mo sa socila media eh dahilan para mastress ka😊kaya hinay hinay lanh sa paggamit ng socmed.pag sobra masama😊
Tama po kau Mommy Sig. Using Social media is not really bad at all. Ito ay Kung Paano natin GAGAMITIN sa maayos. At yes po ang Ang daming nag open na online businesses using socmed.🙂