Social Media Anxiety: How Your Feed Affects Your Mental Health?

Social media can significantly impact the mental health of individuals. The increased use of social media or online presence can cause stress, anxiety, or depression. Approximately, more than 5.2 billion people use social media, and among them, 95% are teenagers. Moreover, an average person spends 145 minutes on social media every single day. Social media usage has both positive and dark sides. The excessive use of social media can cause the development of the most common mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, etc. 

You might have noticed many times that you log in to your social media account and scroll a lot, but leave with the constant feelings of anxiousness and fear. There is a strong impact of social media on the mental health of individuals. Social media anxiety is a common mental issue in which individuals feel stress or anxiety when using or thinking about social media. It can persist and can also raise other major issues like depression, sleep issues, and any other physical symptoms. 

If you want to know about social media anxiety and how your feed affects your mental health, then read this article. You will also find ways to protect your mental health from the negative effects of social media. So read now!

Social Media Anxiety: Impact on Mental Health 

Several studies have shown that approximately 81% of teenagers and 69% adults use social media, and their excessive use exerts a major negative impact on their mental health. Individuals who use more social media and stay in front of the screens of their digital devices tend to suffer more from common mental health issues as well as learning, memory, sleep, and gut issues. Therefore, they have to face multiple challenges in different areas of their life, such as home, workplace, social life, and relationships. Fortunately, with the help of the right tools or therapeutic strategies, individuals can easily and quick recover from social media anxiety and its negative impact on mental health. 

How does Social Media Affect Mental Health?

Social media has both positive and negative effects on mental health. 

1. Potential Negative Impacts 

The excessive use of social media exerts a strong negative effect on the mental health of individuals. 

2. Increased Risk of Anxiety or Depression

Several studies have reported that it can lead to the development of anxiety, depression, and some other common mental health issues. This happens mostly in teenagers and adults as they spend more time in front of screens.

3. Low Confidence & Self-Esteem

Social media life is full of fascinations and exhibits the idealized version of reality. The life that individuals portray on social media seems glamorous, but in reality, it is very different. Therefore, most of the individuals try to compare themselves with the personalities of the online world. Due to their comparisons, they start thinking that they have multiple flaws in their personality, which ultimately leads to feelings of inadequacy, low self-confidence, and low self-esteem.

4. Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is a common phenomenon on social media platforms. Most individuals, especially females, have to face harassment or insults via text messages or other ways. Therefore, they get stuck in the cycle of stress, anxiety and fear. 

5. Addiction 

Nowadays, social media is becoming a source to release dopamine in the body. Several features like comments, sharing and notifications make the individuals happy as the brain receives the signals and releases the happy and calming hormones in the brain including dopamine and serotonin. Therefore, they get addicted to social media and therefore show repeated urges and addictive behaviors related to social media

6. Isolation

As excessive or uncontrolled use of social media triggers social media anxiety, most people isolate themselves and prefer to stay alone. Although social media connects people with others online, social media anxiety can also result in a sense of social withdrawal and avoidance behavior. 

7. Sleep Issues

Excessive screen time directly affects mental health and social media anxiety, as the blue light emitted from the screens of digital devices is very harmful. It disrupts the normal sleep-wake cycle and leads to many issues in sleep. Many individuals experience insomnia after using their phone for a longer period. 

8. Exposure to Negative Content 

The content available on social media platforms does not always help. News or updates regarding any terror attack, violence, or any disaster can also trigger social media anxiety in individuals. 

9. Filters

Social media is full of filters that always put a curtain on the reality of this world. Social media platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram offer many filters that help individuals hide their real faces. Moreover, their filters also hide their pain, and people see their smiling faces. Only those people who do this are more conscious of their physical appearance. The habit of using filters also exerts a major negative impact on their mental health. 

10. Body Image Issues

On social media, every person looks perfect, apparently, but the individuals who have low self-esteem start criticizing their selves. The more they get connected to social media, the more they experience negative body image and disordered eating patterns or behaviors. In addition, social media is also considered one of the major contributors to body dysmorphic disorder in individuals.

11. FOMO (Fear of missing out)

Another negative aspect of social media is the fear of missing out (fomo) in individuals. Even when a phone does not ring, they feel that it is ringing. Likewise, they prefer to keep a check on the life of their friends, family members by repeatedly checking their status or online presence on social media accounts.

12. Reduced Real-life Relationships

With the increasing use of social media, individuals now prefer to make online relationships instead of physical ones. Moreover, they also avoid visiting new places and participating in social occasions.

13. Neglecting Responsibilities

Most people only invest precious time in online stuff and forget their responsibilities. Whether they have personal or professional chores, they avoid doing them.

14. Mental Fatigue

Mental fatigue is common among those individuals who are more addicted to social media. Constantly checking the personal accounts on social media or notifications can also lead to mental fatigue and burnout. 

15. Potential Positive Impacts of Social Media on Mental Health

Other than negative effects, social media is also beneficial, such as:

16. Making Social Connections

Social media helps the individuals to develop social connections with each other. By using different social media platforms, they develop social connections, build support networks, learn from each other and also feel less isolated. 

17. Creative Expression And Self-Expression

People can find a number of opportunities on social media which helps them in expressing their inner creative self. Moreover, it also helps them in self-discovery. 

18. Building Relationships 

There are a number of social media platforms, like Facebook, Twitter, which allow individuals to maintain and build relationships with others, irrespective of the fact that they are located far from them.

19. Better Access to Resources And Information

Through social media, individuals can also get significant information and resources related to any topic.

What Are the Main Strategies That Can Help in Preventing the Negative Effects of Social Media?

If you want to protect your mental health from the negative effects of social media, then here are a few things that you should ensure:

1. Limit Your Screen Time

If you want a healthy mindset then first you need to limit your screen time. Make sure that you do not spend excessive time in front of your screens. Make a schedule and then spend your time watching your favorite series or playing a game etc. 

Moreover, other things that you can do include:

• Take short regular intervals or breaks with your screen time.
• Utilize tools or apps to keep track of your usage. 
• Completely log out from all your social media accounts, so next time you feel the need to log in

2. Teach Yourself that Social Media Is Not Reality

Tell yourself that not everything that is shown on social media is real. Train your mind to stay in and accept the reality. Do not compare yourself to the social media personalities. For example, if you are looking at a picture of any delicious item, then the picture doesn’t need to be real. In most cases, there are some photographers who first take the pictures and edit them to make them look more aesthetic.

3. Safely Use Social Media

Make efforts to use social media safely. Do not see or share any negative content with others. Moreover, unsubscribe from those channels that you think may negatively impact your mental health. In addition, unfriend those people and friends whose social media accounts are somehow interfering with your life or make you feel bad about your personality.

4. Make In-Person Connections 

Instead of looking for people online, try to make in-person connections and participate in those activities that can improve your mental health. Moreover, instead of just watching things online or playing games, participate in healthy and productive extra-curricular activities like sports, painting, sketching, reading, going out for adventure, etc. If you get involved in such activities, you will see a clear positive difference in your mental health. 

 5. Focus on Digital Detox 

Take regular breaks from social media. Regularly practice meditation, deep breathing, yoga, and other exercises that give you mental relaxation.  Rewires your brain and reconnects with the real world present around you. 

6. Disable Notifications

Turn on only those notifications that give you some benefits and disable those that distract you from paying attention to your vital tasks.

7. Educate Yourself

Educate yourself to determine how you can safely use social media platforms and how you can make better decisions online that never harm your mental health.

8. Keep Your Devices Outside Your Bedroom

A good sleep is linked to your mental health. If you want to enjoy good mental health, then you should have the best quality sleep. So try to put all the digital devices away from your sleeping area. In addition, when you are going to sleep then keep your phone away from yourself to protect your mind from the negative effects of the rays emitted from your mobile or digital devices. 

9. Practice Mindfulness Techniques 

If you want to relax your mind after the increased use of social media, then regularly practice deep breathing, meditation, yoga, and other stress management techniques. By doing these activities, your body will release the happy hormones and you will feel mentally calm, composed, and relaxed.

10. Mindful Scrolling 

Do not rush into social media use. Before you are going to open any app or social media platform on your phone, take a pause and think for a moment about why and what you are going to use online. Mindful scrolling will protect you from the aimless browsing that not only wastes your time but also affects your mental health. 

11. Set Some Goals

Make sure that you have set some life goals. Always consider your life goals and then set a time for using social media. Stick to this routine and work hard towards your goals, but never forget your mental health on this journey.

12. Use Social Media With a Purpose

You should have a specific purpose for using social media. For example, connect with your friends or those who can help you in achieving sound mental health. Moreover, gather the positive content from online sources and also share it with others. Do not just use social media when you are bored and do not have anything to do.

13. Do Regular Emotional Check-Ins

When you are using social media, also keep an emotional check-in. If you feel any stress or anxiety after any online activity, then stop that activity and divert your mind towards useful activities. 

14. Review Your Online Presence

After spending your entire day, sit alone and think about how much and where you spent your time online, what you feel etc. If you feel bad then adjust your habits and schedule etc. 

15. Seek Professional Support 

If you think that you are battling with social media anxiety, then immediately reach out for professional help. Find the best platform to get the best psychiatric solutions to overcome your anxiety due to social media. 

When to seek professional help

If you ever feel that social media is interfering in your life, like affecting your mood or causing sleep or relationship issues, immediately reach out to professional help. Always remember that seeking professional help is a courageous step, not a sign of weakness.

So whenever you notice the following signs, consider reaching out for professional help:

• Increased comparison with others 
• Persistent feelings of sadness after social media scrolling
• Strong feelings of isolation 
• Difficulty in controlling intense emotions 

Final Remarks 

Social media can directly affect mental health. Social media life is considered as the best or highlighted life of individuals. Although individuals make efforts to make better social media reels but they also keep an eye on highlight of others. This results the higher rate of dissatisfaction when they find themselves less than themselves.

The more you sit in front of a screen and spend your hours watching TV or playing games, you will feel sadness and dissatisfaction. Moreover, it also results in a higher probability of the onset of the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other common mental health issues etc. So you should be highly careful while using social media. Sit alone and evaluate yourself on what you are watching or doing on social media and how it is affecting your mental health. Try some easy and useful ways like limiting screen time, making in-person connections, and teaching yourself that social media is not reality. You can protect your mental health from the negative influence of social media.

Transform Your Mental Health at Renewed Mental Health Group.

Renewed Mental Health Group is a top mental health platform where you can find the best psychiatric services for children, teens, and adults. We are concerned with your mental well-being, and this is why we offer the finest treatment plans for each common mental health issue. Our team of mental health professionals is trained and skilled in crafting the finest therapeutic strategies, which are tailored to the individual needs of each person who is suffering from any mental issue. 

We always consider the ease of individuals in getting their mental health treatment plans. We offer the telehealth service that gives you an ease as without going anywhere, you can attend the virtual mental health appointments.