Effects of Social Media Scrolling on Mental Health – When we look at today’s generation, we can find them constantly scrolling through social media accounts; not only teenagers but today, adults are also wasting their time on social media scrolling. What is the reason behind this? Today, more and more people like to live alone; they don’t like to socialize. They want to spend time lying on their bed with their phones.
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If you watch them outside, you will still find them staring at their phones. Also, the first thing they want in the morning is not fresh air but their smartphones. If you give your children phones and ask them to stay in the room, they will stay there without any drama for as long as they get their food and internet. But do you know there are a lot of adverse effects of social media on mental health if done mindlessly?
It is one of the reasons for the decrease in the lifespan and why today’s generation has less creativity and less mental power. They are not so confident in themself and are more prone to the issue of stress, anxiety, and depression. In today’s article, we will tell you about some of the adverse effects of social media scrolling and how it impacts the generation’s mental health and overall quality of life.
Adverse Effects of Social Media Scrolling Leads to FOMO
One of the adverse effects of social media scrolling is that it can lead to FOMO, which means fear of missing out. A study has been published in Baishideng Publishing Group, which states that most people who are used to doing a lot of social media scrolling might experience FOMO. They will want to scroll their social media as much time as they can because they think if they do not use their mobile for even a second, they could miss an ample opportunity,
But honestly, that is not an opportunity; they think they will miss the opportunity of that fun news, that latest gossip about something and all. The study says this affects one’s mind a lot and can lead to problems of stress, anxiety, or even depression. Because what we mostly see on the internet might not be accurate.
Comparison trap
One of the adverse effects of social media scrolling is that one can fall into the comparison trap if he/she spends too much time on social media. There will be a time when they will start comparing their life with others on social media. They will compare them with their luxurious lifestyle and want to live like them, leading to increased discontent, low self-esteem, and jealousy or resentment.
But it would be best to understand that what you see on social media is not 100% accurate. They might be leaving some other life and just presenting themselves on social media in that luxurious way only to gain some popularity. You should understand that everyone has a different journey, and you should be happy with what you have. Because there are many types of people, some might be above you, and some might be below you. It would be best to think about the one below you and feel content with what you have. Otherwise, you will have to suffer through the various adverse effects of social media on your mental health.
Addiction: Breaking the dopamine loop
One of the most adverse effects of social media scrolling is addiction. Once you have fallen victim to this addiction of scrolling through social media, there is no coming back. Social media is filled with millions of data, and they use advancement to learn what you like and show you mainly the things you prefer, and then you like to scroll more and more.
This does not have any end; it will affect your productivity, focus, and even your sleep schedule, thus ultimately affecting your mental health. So you should add a limit on your social media scrolling, install some apps which help to prevent the overuse of social media apps, and put a time-limit on your mobile phone usage, otherwise you will have to pay in the long term.
Isolation: Loneliness in a connected world
One of the adverse effects of social media scrolling is hidden in its name. Social media contains “Social”, but still it leads to the isolation. In the need to connect with more people on social media, we tend to have less personal interaction with our families, friends, and close persons, which leads to isolation. We must spend more time scrolling through social media and not give time to our loved ones.
But remember, in case of any need or emergency, your social media will not help you, but the person living close to you will be present. So spending time with your close friends and family would be best. It will bring you joy, a sense of attachment, and fulfillment.
Some Tips for a Healthier Digital Life
So now you know the adverse effects of social media scrolling, but how can you combat them to have a healthier digital life? There are some effective strategies for a healthier digital life that will allow you to scroll social media and still enjoy your personal life. Here is how you can do it.
- Limit your social media timing.
- Go outside for some physical activities with your friends,
- Put a gap in your mobile phone usage.
- Engage in some mind activities and games with your family.
- Start reading books, increasing your knowledge, and improving your creativity and focus.
- One of the most important things you should do is not to allow phones to your kids from a very early age.
So, these are the adverse effects of social media scrolling on our mental health. If you want a sound, more focused, and robust mind and want to become successful in life, you should add a limit on social media scrolling. You should not scroll for more than 1 hour in your day if you are not making money from social media. Otherwise, you will have to pay for your mental and physical health.
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