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"Mental Health and Social Media" by Nordine Zouareg

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"Mental Health and Social Media" by Nordine Zouareg

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Social media is used daily by billions of people and without them knowing it has its negative impacts. This article gives further information on mental health and what social media can do to it.

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"The many faces of darkness"
Our angels are in trouble
There were no signs, symptoms or any change in attitude and behavior that would tell Michelle, a forty-two-year-old executive assistant, that her daughter, Kristina, was going through emotional distress.

Kristina woke up every day at 6 a.m., too early for a teenager you're thinking. Not yet fully awake, the first thing Kristina would do is grab her smartphone and browse through social media feeds, looking for an emotional fix. Although she'd make it to the shower, eat breakfast, and get ready for zoom school, she'd skillfully stay glued to her phone, still craving for her reward. The rest of Kristina's day would comprise school, homework, text messaging, TV, cooking, and ... more social media interaction.

Addiction has no time constraint

Eight hours, that's right! Eight hours is the average time teenagers spend on their phones. They're scouting, searching, hoping, wishing, and sometimes looking for a way to numb their pain. A 2016 study by Common Sense Census looked at teens and their social media patterns and found that teens between the ages of 13 and 18 spent about 9 hours a day on social media and other outlets like TV, online videos, and mobile games.
Yes, I know! It's insane!
Think of it, teens are spending over 60% of their waking days staring at a screen! Mind boggling indeed! It comes as no surprise that social media has become such a predominant part of our lives that we're in denial about how much time we're spending on it. This raises the question: What are the effects of social media on our brains?

" It is impossible to understand addiction without asking what relief the addict finds or hope to find in the drug or the addictive behavior."

~ Gabor Mate

This is not a "Them problem"

Although, and for the sake of this article, I chose to illustrate my point with Kristina's story, who's a teenager, I however, wanted to insist on the fact that social media addiction is not only a teen problem. It involves us adults as well. I am sure you know what I'm talking about.

Remember the many attempts to ask your kids to stop looking at their phones only to hear them shout back: "But dad, you're always on your phone!" Don't despair, you're not alone! I too have done that! And you know what? It takes one to know one! They are right! Or almost right!

We are addicted to more "Likes"

Whether it's our generation or this generation who grew up with technology and social media, we're all seeking the same thing. We're all overly concerned about social media, we're driven by an overwhelming urge to use it and spend way too much time on those platforms that it impairs other important aspects of our lives.

A study by neuroscientists on social media and the brain shows that positive interaction (such as someone liking your Instagram post or tweet) triggers the same chemical reaction that's caused by recreational drugs or gambling. Researchers from found that when you get a social media notification, your brain sends a chemical messenger called dopamine along a reward pathway, which makes you feel good. Dopamine is also associated with food, sex, love, exercise, gambling, and drugs. One becomes addicted to checking for the instant reward. Thus, the dopamine-triggering behavior becomes a habit.

For sake of this article, let's get back to Michelle's daughter, Kristina. Remember earlier in this article I wrote that Kristina, while on an emotional rollercoaster involving social media and other personal issues, showed no signs of distress. I wonder if that's because she was too busy getting her fix on social media and her parents were too busy living their own lives that no one noticed anything. Or perhaps we all cannot identify rational explanations for irrational behaviors.

Are we too busy to realize that we're living at a lower level of existence? Have we descended too far down into the rabbit hole that we've lost our sense of responsibility towards our children? If we can't monitor ourselves, how can we be sensitive to their needs? We can all be in the same room, but no one is there. Does this make sense? Kristina's was almost certainly caused by too much interaction with social media, not enough self-care, a lack of parents' monitoring, and a lack of human interaction. Kristina also suffered from FOMO.

The devil has many faces

A study examined how "social media use" can cause the fear of missing out ("FOMO"). In the study, one group of participants limited their time on social media to 30 minutes a day, while a control group continued to use Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and Tick Tock. The researchers tracked the participants' social media time usage, and participants completed surveys about their mood and well-being. After only three weeks, those who limited social media said that they felt less and lonely than people who had no social media time limits.

The study showed that using less social media leads to a significant decrease in both depression and loneliness. These effects are particularly pronounced for folks who were more depressed before participating in the study.

Experts suggest that the main reason for feeling depressed after spending too much time on social networks is due to comparison. When viewing someone else's curated and impeccable life online, it's easy to see their perfect pictures and think their lives are better than theirs.

Impact of social media on the brain: Not so good!

There are some real consequences to spending too much time on social media. Studies show we are carrying around little dopamine stimulators in our pockets and are expecting entertainment. It's no surprise social media makes us bad at multitasking and distracts us from optimum productivity and performance. The same study shows we're so addicted to dopamine release from social media interaction that we create phantom vibration syndrome - we feel like our phones are buzzing even though they're not.

Furthermore, the reward centers in our brains are most active when we're talking about ourselves. It's all about showing off, comparing our lives to others. Not even in real life do we talk about ourselves so darn much. We want that brain stimulation, that dopamine.

Social media addiction can't be cured but it can be controlled

Since this activity is becoming more available to more of us, evidently, more of us may develop an addiction to social media at some point in our lives. If you think you may be addicted to social media, consider this, being aware of the negative effects of such behavior can help you regain control. Engaging in social media occasionally is unlikely to be damaging. However, there are negative effects to consider when overusing social media.

Some likely negative effects of social media include:

Increased loneliness

Loss of self-worth and self-esteem, which may be promoted by erroneous perceptions that others' lives are "better" than ours

Anxiety or depression

Fear of missing out (FOMO), which can lead to more social media usage

Sleep Disruption, particularly if you use social media right before bedtime

Decreased physical activity, which will affect your overall health

Poor grades or work productivity and performance

Reduced empathy to others

Ignoring the relationships with others in "real" life

Know your limits

We know that too much social media can alter our brain chemistry. But not everything about social media is bad. There are many good sides to social media; for example, we use these platforms to stay in touch with friends and family. We can connect to more people across the globe and learn more about what's happening elsewhere. We can inspire the masses, help the underprivileged, or raise collective awareness. I'm convinced that reducing the time spent on social media can reduce harmful psychological effects and can help us invest more time in our overall health and wellbeing.

I encourage parents to check social media usage on their kids' devices. I also recommend they limit their own usage and interact with their loved one more often. It's easy to get lost in the world of social media and forget those who need us the most. I know, sometimes we can feel as if social media has taken our children hostage and we feel hopeless. It's precisely why we must fight back and free them from the hijackers.

But they don't want to be freed, you'd say! Well, what If I told you that's the normal reaction of an addict, just as someone who's would lie through their teeth to justify their behavior, it's not the addict that's lying but the object of the addiction that's supporting the behavior. In this case, social media.

Human connection is key

It is said that the lack of connection with others can lead to addiction. I can't agree more. Since dopamine or the experience of pleasure is what most of us want (subconsciously) when using social media, it makes perfect sense to assume that seeking activities that would indulge and satisfy someone's urge would be the correct course of action. So, and as I mentioned in the previous paragraph, get involved in your kids' or teens' social lives and have fun together.

Here are a few of my suggestions:

1. Exercise together

2. Practice yoga and meditation together

3. Eat healthy and balanced meals, sit together

4. Build a healthy sleeping pattern

5. Get some sunlight

6. Listen to relaxing music

7. Build new skills

8. Read more

I hope you that you gained more awareness on the matter so my wish for you is that you reclaim your freedom from social media over usage.

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Our angels are in trouble There were no signs, symptoms or any change in attitude and behavior that would tell Michelle, a forty-two-year-old executive assistant, that her daughter, Kristina, was going through emotional distress. Kristina woke up every day at 6 a.m., too early for a teenager you're thinking.

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"Coping Skills for Teens Workbook: 60 Helpful Ways to Deal with Stress, Anxiety and Anger" by Janine Halloran

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"Coping Skills for Teens Workbook: 60 Helpful Ways to Deal with Stress, Anxiety and Anger" by Janine Halloran

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As we know teenagers go through emotions and mood swings constantly. This book helps them with their coping mechanisms.

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Coping Skills for Teens Workbook: 60 Helpful Ways to Deal with Stress, Anxiety and Anger

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A teen version of the #1 Bestselling Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, this version is written specifically with a tween/teen audience (age 11+) in mind. There are 60 coping strategies included in the book, and it's divided into Coping Styles to make searching for a coping skill easier. This book ...

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You do not have to fight so many different battles internally. Get the help you need now before its too late.

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"Teen Health: Mental Health" by Penn State PRO Wellness

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"Teen Health: Mental Health" by Penn State PRO Wellness

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This video breaks down the basic of what mental health is and why people should be taking care of it.

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"Men's Mental Health - The Other Pandemic" by Jason Sleisenger, M.A.

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"Men's Mental Health - The Other Pandemic" by Jason Sleisenger, M.A.

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It may not be a surprise to most people that women are more upfront about their emotions in most cases. This article highlights the importance of mens mental health.

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Men's Mental Health - The Other Pandemic

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Men's Mental Health is something that needs to be talked about more. It's ok for men to have feelings, and to express them openly.

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"Mental Illness Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment | Merck Manual Consumer Version" by Merck Manuals

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"Mental Illness Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment | Merck Manual Consumer Version" by Merck Manuals

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This video demonstrates the ways to receive help if someone is struggling mentally.

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"Suicide Prevention Month" by Siomara Henderson

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"Suicide Prevention Month" by Siomara Henderson

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This article discusses suicide prevention month and the effects that our mental health has on us.

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Benefit 2: Breaks the Suicide Stigma As the number of suicides increases each year, so does the number of families who have been touched by these tragedies. The awareness that comes with suicide prevention month shows the reality of how many lives are affected by suicide each year, so it can be a powerful catalyst for change.

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"I Can Be Safe: A Safety and Mental Health Book For Kids" by Pat Thomas and Lesley Harker

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"I Can Be Safe: A Safety and Mental Health Book For Kids" by Pat Thomas and Lesley Harker

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Mental health does not only impact adults as we know. It can also impact children. This books helps children realize their emotions and how to handle them.

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I Can Be Safe: A First Look at Safety (A... book by Pat Thomas

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Buy a cheap copy of I Can Be Safe: A First Look at Safety (A... book by Pat Thomas. Are there kids in your life who could benefit from a friendly little book that acknowledges kids fears and makes them aware of things they need in order to feel...

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Loneliness and Mental Health" by Jerry Avenaim

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Loneliness and Mental Health" by Jerry Avenaim

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This article discusses how being lonely can negatively impact mental health.

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Loneliness is a silent epidemic taking a toll on our mental health. Find out more and learn ways to get help before you are overwhelmed.

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"Stop Overthinking: 23 Techniques to Relieve Stress, Stop Negative Spirals, Declutter Your Mind, and Focus on the Present" by Nick Trenton

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"Stop Overthinking: 23 Techniques to Relieve Stress, Stop Negative Spirals, Declutter Your Mind, and Focus on the Present" by Nick Trenton

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This book empathizes the different ones to relive stress and relax oneself before they get overwhelmed.

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Stop Overthinking: 23 Techniques to Relieve Stress, Stop Negative Spirals, Declutter Your Mind, and Focus on the Present (The Path to Calm)

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Stop Overthinking: 23 Techniques to Relieve Stress, Stop Negative Spirals, Declutter Your Mind, and Focus on the Present (The Path to Calm) [Trenton, Nick] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers.

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Taking time each day to prioritize your well being has been proven to show help tremendously.

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"Genetic Background of Mental Health" by Genetic Background of Mental Health

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"Genetic Background of Mental Health" by Genetic Background of Mental Health

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This video discusses the different types of factors that go into having a mental illness.

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This article allows the readers to have a better understanding of why mental health is important and how to prioritize our well being.

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Mental Health Articles by Mental Health Foundation

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Mental Health Articles by Mental Health Foundation

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This link has hundreds of useful articles pertaining to mental health.

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© Copyright Mental Health Foundation | Site by Startup Creatives | MHF Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Contact Us Mental Health Foundation 10648 Woodbridge Street Suite 207 Toluca Lake, CA 91602 USA Phone: 323-790-2204 The Mental Health Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit.

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"Mental Fitness and Self-Care" by Dr. Lipi Roy, MD, MPH, FASAM

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"Mental Fitness and Self-Care" by Dr. Lipi Roy, MD, MPH, FASAM

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This article gives the readers insight on how mental fitness and self care go hand and hand.

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Suffer from burnout or want to give your brain more breathing room? Take note of these 5 simple and effective tips to help with self-care.

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"Open Up Your Mental Prison" by Nordine Zouareg

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"Open Up Your Mental Prison" by Nordine Zouareg

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It is easy to say that people are open and honest about their feelings but deep inside many are fighting to open up. This article tells its readers about the "mental prison."

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People who open up experience fewer harmful effects of stress and depression when facing their fears at their pace with someone they trust.

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This article discusses how mental health will effect everything else going on in a regular day.

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Although it may see cliché your mental state is just as important as your physical.