Sources: VeryWellMind, Healthline, Helpguide, Mayo Clinic, Penn Medicine
Social media is glamorized as the place of connectivity and of the new Internet age. Though the use of social media can be highly useful for teens, it can also be very hurtful at a important stage of mental health development. Personally, apps like Instagram and Youtube have been used by my peers to stay connected with old friends, easily make a wide circle of connections, and even show school spirit through club accounts and promotions. In fact, people might encounter less anxiety while connecting on the web versus offline, permitting them to practice social skills in what feels to be a more secure climate.
That being said, it is also a place that can fester a wide variety of psychological issues, from lowered self esteem, depression, anxiety, and body dysmorphia.
How does Social Media induce Anxiety in teens?
The underlying reason behind all the anxiety is FOMO, or the fear of missing out. Whether that be an amazing vacation, promotion, or even just the fear of not doing enough, the filtered glamorization of other peoples' lives is hard to compare to our own raw truth.
You might stress over missing a message, inside joke, or other data that connects you to your friends, leading to more racing thoughts and self-consciousness.
This can easily lead to repeatedly checking social media, which can negatively affect homework and testing. The interruption can prompt hesitation, less retention of information, and more significant levels of pressure. You may likewise encounter sensations of isolation, depression or uneasiness when you see posts of others partaking in a great time.
How We can Ease Social Media Anxiety and Improve our Happiness
Be aware of your tone . Remaining positive and open is bound to urge others to communicate with you rather than cynicism or objections.
Balance time that you invest online with energy spent in true associations. Or on the other hand, utilize the time that you associate online to plan offline events.
Take care to become mindful of your environment to keep passive social media from taking up hours and hours of your day.
Plan meetup gatherings who have comparable interests or leisure activities to yours. This can be especially useful on the off chance that you have a small group of friends.
Recall that not everything on the web is 100 percent real. What you see on Instagram isn't really a genuine portrayal of the lives of people you know. Everything is filtered to portray a certain aspect of people's lives, whether that be all positive or all negative.
Reevaluate your relationship with social media.
For some people, social media is a helpful tool to better their social skills and get connected. Everyone's relationship with such apps is different, so the list of pros and cons may be unique to you. If you feel social media is disrupting your relationships and quality of life, it may be time to wean yourself off and utilize the tips above. You may be able to replace the time spent hanging out with friends in real life, playing video games, finding a new hobby, or joining a club.
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