Intro/ Sam
What are the specific ways in which social media use affects the mental health and well-being of individuals, and how can these effects be mitigated or minimized? In this report, we will discuss the impact of social media on mental health. Multiple studies have found a strong link between heavy social media and an increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts. The main points we will cover are firstly, the causes of poor mental health linked to social media, second, the consequences of social media on mental health, and thirdly, various solutions to help reduce the mental strain caused by social media.
Paragraph 1/ Daniel
Social media has both negative and positive affect on young kids, teenagers and adults. The effects of cyberbullying also include mental health issues, increased stress and anxiety, depression, acting out violently, and low self-esteem. Cyberbullying can also have long-lasting emotional effects, even if the bullying has stopped. Kids are being bullied out of school friends and sports teams and over 50% of it is done online. The top places where kids get bullied online are Twitter 9% youtube 10% WhatsApp 12% snap chat 31% Facebook 37% and Instagram 42% You can also cut back without going cold turkey: limiting yourself to using Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat just 10 minutes a day can result in less loneliness and depression. I think this is because it can reset your brain and mindset. Studies show that people with depression are more likely to recover without social media.
This graph shows that if you use the internet you can get cyberbullied.
Paragraph 2/ Sam
What are the main consequences of social media on mental health? The first one is depression, multiple studies have found a strong link between heavy social media and an increased risk for depression, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts. Social media may promote negative experiences such as Inadequacy about your life or appearance. This is a big problem because 93.33% of 4.8 billion global internet users and 85% of 5.27 billion mobile phone users are on social media. That's a lot of people who constantly feel depressed. The second main consequence is anxiety, The relationship between social media usage and anxiety is a topic of ongoing research, and while there is evidence to suggest a connection, it is important to note that individual experiences may vary. FOMO and feelings of inadequacy, dissatisfaction, and isolation. In turn, these feelings negatively affect your mood and worsen symptoms of anxiety. And the third main consequence is isolation, some people can become so self-conscious and so socially awkward that they just shut themselves out from humanity altogether. They become terrified of face-to-face social interactions and it ruins their social life.
Paragraph 3/ Sam
Poor mental health linked to social media is a big problem, but there are some ways we can reduce the effects. There are various solutions, the first one being, quitting social media altogether. Although this may sound a bit much, this is actually the best solution because there would be no social media to cause poor mental health. For some people, quitting one platform was enough to see an impact on self-esteem and an increase in IRL connection. Others deactivated from all social platforms, which they said helped to reduce their anxiety and depression. This further proves that quitting social media may be the way to go. The second solution is, Curate your feed: Choose to follow accounts that inspire, motivate, and educate you. Unfollow or mute accounts that make you feel inadequate or trigger negative emotions. Create a feed that aligns with your values and promotes positivity. This is also a very good solution because it may decrease the amount of depression and anxiety you feel while on social media if not get rid of it altogether. And the third solution is, Take breaks: Regularly disconnect from social media. Consider implementing daily or weekly digital detox periods where you abstain from social media completely. Use this time to focus on self-reflection, reconnect with the present moment, and engage in activities that nourish your mental health.
Paragraph 4/ Daniel
My favourite solution is to do the cold turkey you cut 10 minutes of your phone and technology every day u till you will whittle it down enough to not care about it anymore, the reason people use the internet is that they need to contact friends and they have nothing to do after work/school. I think that getting into sports teams or even taking up a hobby like the outdoors and finding something you enjoy doing, that's another way to exclude yourself from social media. I'm currently dealing with my friends who have nothing to do after school and they go to places Instead of hanging out they vape and get into trouble with the cops. There is a fine line between having fun and being safe while having fun, but again it’s better than being inside slowly getting upset and depressed.
Conclusion/ Daniel
What are the specific ways in which social media use affects the mental health and well-being of individuals, and how can these effects be mitigated or minimized? To mitigate or minimize these effects, it is crucial to develop a balanced and mindful approach to social media use. This involves practicing self-awareness, setting boundaries, and prioritizing self-care. By recognizing the curated nature of social media content and consciously managing our exposure, we can reduce social comparison and envy. By cultivating a healthy offline life and nurturing face-to-face connections, we can combat the feelings of FOMO and isolation.Social media has a large impact on mental health. It can contribute to sad feelings anxiety and depression. The constant exposure to technology and phone will lead to a very negative effect on mental health. Sometimes people can be addicted to social media which again will lead downhill. I think the best option will be to find an activity after work/school to keep yourself busy