Comparing with others

• Comparing Ourselves with Others is Unhealthy – Spending a lot of time looking at others’ “highlights” online naturally leads to thinking of ourselves as better or worse off, which links to jealousy and more severe depressive symptoms.
• Inadequacy about your life or appearance. Even if you know that images you’re viewing on social media are manipulated, they can still make you feel insecure about how you look or what’s going on in your own life. Similarly, we’re all aware that other people tend to share just the highlights of their lives, rarely the low points that everyone experiences. But that doesn’t lessen those feelings of envy and dissatisfaction when you’re scrolling through a friend’s airbrushed photos of their tropical beach holiday or reading about their exciting new promotion at work.

Sedentary Lifestyle

• Sedentary Lifestyle – It shouldn’t come as a surprise that looking at your phone or sitting at your computer for long periods of time can lead to a more sedentary lifestyle, which can have negative effects on your overall physical health.

Sadness & Isolation

• Triggers More Sadness – Facebook has been linked to less overall satisfaction with life, likely due to feelings of social isolation. Additionally, more time spent on sites like Facebook and Instagram has been shown to increase these feelings.

• Isolation. A study at the University of Pennsylvania found that high usage of Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram increases rather decreases feelings of loneliness. Conversely, the study found that reducing social media usage can actually make you feel less lonely and isolated and improve your overall wellbeing.

• It Can Be Addictive – Research has shown users can suffer from addictive behavior using social media and show psychological symptoms of withdrawal when they’re unable to log on.

• Cyber Bullying – Social media connects us all but it isn’t always a good thing. In one study, 52% of students reported being cyberbullied, with Facebook accounting for the bullying channel 84% of the time.

Fear of missing out (FOMO). While FOMO has been around far longer than social media, sites such as Facebook and Instagram seem to exacerbate feelings that others are having more fun or living better lives than you are. The idea that you’re missing out on certain things can impact your self-esteem, trigger anxiety, and fuel even greater social media use. FOMO can compel you to pick up your phone every few minutes to check for updates, or compulsively respond to each and every alert—even if that means taking risks while you’re driving, missing out on sleep at night, or prioritizing social media interaction over real world relationships.

Depression and anxiety. Human beings need face-to-face contact to be mentally healthy. Nothing reduces stress and boosts your mood faster or more effectively than eye-to-eye contact with someone who cares about you. The more you prioritize social media interaction over in-person relationships, the more you’re at risk for developing or exacerbating mood disorders such as anxiety and depression.

Cyberbullying. About 10 percent of teens report being bullied on social media and many other users are subjected to offensive comments. Social media platforms such as Twitter can be hotspots for spreading hurtful rumors, lies, and abuse that can leave lasting emotional scars.

Self-absorption. Sharing endless selfies and all your innermost thoughts on social media can create an unhealthy self-centeredness and distance you from real-life connections.

Quellen