With social media taking over the reign of modern humanity, and we the masses being enslaved under it, it is important to recognize the various ways in which social media affects our day-to-day lives.
Social Media has various positive effects such as improvement in communication and social skills along with an overall sense of community especially prominent in people whose offline lives are isolated. However, these positive effects come with significant negatives like addiction, which can lead to increased feelings of loneliness, anxiety, restlessness and depression, all of which are prominent mental health issues. Excessive use of Social Media has also been linked to obesity and unhealthy hygiene practices, showing that Social Media can not only affect you mentally but physically as well.
Due to current trends, Social Media has given birth to ‘Comparison Culture’, a destructive ideology which completely disregards personal boundaries of an individual’s mental sanctity. This ‘Comparison Culture’ forces people to compare their lives to the highly curated and directed lives shown online, which can lead to a decrease in their confidence.
Ascertaining from the above facts, Social Media can be classified as a double-edged sword, having various positive effects that can truly benefit an individual while possessing negatives that can lead to one’s self-degradation in both the mental and physical manner, ranging from anxiety to obesity.
The fact is that nothing is beneficial outside of moderation, whether it may be Social Media or even Academics, balance is a necessity in order for a functional life. Furthermore, never forget that you are unique and you have your own qualities, the often faked ‘perfect’ lives you see online are only figments of their lives and they often don’t paint the entire picture.
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