Social Media Cons

With a rising industrial dependent world, the young generation is largely dependent on technology. According to Nytimes.com, studies show that daily screen time has gone up in preteens to almost 6 hours a day. And in teens a staggering 7 hours a day. With this excessive use comes pros and cons. Most people tend to only look at the pros to make themselves feel better about using so much time on these platforms. And yes, there are some great pros to social media. For example, Google helps us learn and be educated about anything we want, we have communication, and just easier access overall. These networks can provide teens with valuable support, entertainment and self-expression. But the cons heavily outweigh these pros. Being educated about social media cons and the elevated technology use could bring further understanding to the full effect social media has on our health.

According to HealthGuide.org, numerous studies have discovered a link between strong social media use and increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness or self-harm. They also mentioned that social media can also promote negative feelings or emotions. For example:

- Fear of missing out (FOMO) - Facebook and Instagram or other platforms tend to exaggerate that others are having more fun than you. This can give you the idea that you’re missing out on certain things.

- Self-absorption - Sometimes sharing your life and thoughts on social media platforms can create a distance from real-life connections.

- Isolation - A study at the University of Pennsylvania found that high usage of Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram increases feelings of loneliness.

- Inadequacy about your life or appearance - Some photos on social media are edited, and although you might know some of these are fake it can still make you feel insecure about how you look or what’s going on in your own life. Also, other people tend to share solely the highlights of their lives, rarely the low points which creates false images about what that person is really like.

The underlying question, what’s driving your social media use? These days, most of us access social media via our smartphones or tablets. While this makes it very convenient to connect, it also means that social media is always accessible. This 24 hour connectivity can trigger impulse control problems. Also, the constant notifications can affect your focus or disrupt sleep. According to HelpGuide.org, when you receive a “like”, a “share”, or a favorable reaction to a post, it can trigger the release of dopamine in the brain, the same “reward” chemical that follows winning on a slot machine, taking a bite of chocolate, or lighting up a cigarette, for example. The more you’re rewarded, the more time you want to spend on social media. Which robs you of meaningful time and connections with others in your life.

Social media platforms are specifically designed to grab a user’s attention by causing them to constantly check their screen. This is how these companies make their money. However, this addiction compares a lot like a gambling compulsion or an addiction to nicotine, alcohol, or drugs. Social media can create these psychological cravings. There are numerous people who can agree with the negative effects of social media such as Elon Musk who said, “I think there should be regulations on social media to the degree that it negatively affects the public good.” Furthermore, Jeff Bezos, the CEO at Amazon.com can be quoted, “If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell 6 friends. If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends.”

Sometimes social media is a “security blanket”. According to StatNews.com, whenever we’re in a social situation and feel anxious or awkward, we turn to our phones and log into social media. Which can deprive you of face-to-face interaction that actually can help to ease anxiety. They also mentioned that heavy social media use could be masking other underlying problems, such as stress, depression, or boredom. If you spend more time on social media when you’re feeling down, lonely, or bored, you may be using it as a way to distract yourself.

Social media helps us get out of our brain at times and forget what we have going on in our real life. This can be called self-soothing. Our body finds any way possible to get out of an uncomfortable situation and think about something else. Social media use is a perfect example of this. Distracting yourself from these unpleasant feelings can cause you to self-soothe your moods, which just makes the matter worse over time. An alternative would be allowing yourself to feel these emotions, which can be a healthier way to manage your moods.

According to Mayoclinic.org, there are many steps you can take to encourage responsible use of social media and limit some of its negative effects. Consider these tips:

- Set reasonable limits. Avoid letting social media interfere with your activities, sleep, meals or homework. Set a bedtime routine that avoids electronic media use, and keep cell phones and tablets out of bedrooms. Set an example for others by following these rules yourself.

- Understand and seek to know what’s not OK. Don’t gossip, spread rumors, bully or damage someone’s reputation — online or otherwise.

- Make time for face-to-face contact with friends. This is particularly important for teens vulnerable to social anxiety disorder.

Social media has greatly helped our world connect and be more developed. Social media allows teens to create online identities, communicate with others and build social networks. These networks can provide teens with valuable support, entertainment and self-expression. And while these are great outcomes, the overuse of these platforms can actually harm us more. By negatively affecting teens, distracting them, disrupting their sleep, and exposing them to bullying, rumor spreading, unrealistic views of other people’s lives and peer pressure. So we can have these positive effects as long as we are educated about some of the negative effects it can cause. Social media in small doses is a great way to start decreasing these cons.