Reaching the dissertation stage has made me research into several domains but all pertaining to IT. But recently a very interesting and unexplored domain sprung up and that’s social media obsession and anxiety. Many of you won’t read further as we think we are not facing it. But hold back a minute and see if the answer to the following questions is majorly a “yes”, then definitely you are suffering from it. So, gear up and have a go. Do you ever check your social media account while interrupting a conversation? Do you ever check your account even when there are no notifications? Does the use of social media has led to withdrawal from family and “real” friends? Do you face anxiety or anger if you are not able to check your account after receiving notifications? Have you ever neglected work or study just to keep pace with commenting? Are you obsessed with posting even when there is nothing to post? Well, unfortunately, social media is causing way more than only anxiety and stress. It is taking a toll on mental health too. According to research, social media addiction is causing loneliness, paranoia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Another significant factor is that social media makes us believe that other people have a perfect life and we do not. The effort to having a hip social media presence is taking us away from appreciating the real happiness and “real” people that surround us that we fail to notice and acknowledge.
References:
Homewood (n.d.) The dangers of social media on your mental health. Available at: https://www2.viu.ca/humanresources/documents/dangersofsocialmediaonyourmentalhealthq12017.pdf (Accessed: 3 December 2018)
