Life Coaching Blog

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly of Social Media

It’s no secret that social media has taken over the world. In fact, there are now over 3.6 billion active social media users around the globe! That’s a lot of people scrolling through their Facebook feeds, tweeting about their day, and posting photos on Instagram. With so many people using social media, it’s no surprise that it’s having an impact on our mental health, both good and bad. 

Let’s take a look at how social media is impacting your mental health. 

There is no doubt that social media has its perks. It’s a great way to stay connected with friends and family, especially if you live far away from them. It’s also a great way to meet new people who share your interests.

However, social media can also have some negative impacts on your mental health. With the 24/7 news cycle and constant stream of updates on social media, we are immediately informed of events that are happening in the world around us. This can be extremely upsetting and traumatising . If you find that you’re constantly feeling anxious or stressed and constantly checking social media throughout the day, it may be time to adjust your relationship with Social Media.

Here are 6 ways Social Media can impact you and your day to day life;

 

1. Comparing yourself to others

We all know that comparing ourselves to others is a recipe for disaster. But when you’re constantly seeing other people’s “perfect” lives on social media, it can be hard not to compare yourself to them. This can lead to feelings of jealousy, inadequacy, and low self-esteem. 

 

2. Increase feelings of loneliness & isolation

While social media is a great way to stay connected with friends and family, it can also make you feel more isolated and lonely. This is because you’re only seeing one side of people’s lives—the side that they want you to see. This can lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation because you feel like everyone else is living a perfect life except for you. 



3. Feeling of being left out (FOMO)

Social media can also make you feel left out if you see everyone else doing something fun without you (aka FOMO). This can lead to feelings of insecurity, anxiety, and depression. 

 

4. Trigger anxiety & depression

Social media can trigger anxiety and depression in some people because it’s easy to get caught up in the negativity that surrounds it. From the constant news cycle to the never-ending stream of ads, there’s a lot of negative energy on social media that can impact your mental health negatively.

 

5. Disrupt Sleep Patterns

If you find yourself scrolling through your Facebook feed late at night or checking your Twitter notifications first thing in the morning, chances are you’re not getting enough sleep. And we all know that lack of sleep can lead to a whole host of problems, including anxiety, depression, irritability, and brain fog. 

 

6. Impact your Productivity

Social media can also impact your productivity because it’s easy to get distracted by all the activity going on online. If you find yourself spending more time browsing social media than actually getting work done, then it’s time to cut back on your screen time. 

 

In Summary

Social media is here to stay so we might as well learn how to use it in a way that benefits our mental health instead of harming it. The best way to do this is by being aware of the impact that social media has on our mental health – both good and bad – and making sure that we use it in moderation. If you find yourself feeling down after spending time on social media, take a break from it for a while until you’re feeling better again. Remember, comparisons are never healthy so try not to focus on what everyone else is doing online – focus on living your best life offline instead!