Social media in the modern world is a mass communication through the Internet, and a method of information, ideas, and interests exchange through virtual communities and networks. Today, social media is prevalent among all segments of the population and society. It is not easy to imagine life in the 21st century without technologies that allow one to exchange knowledge, news, and messages quickly and easily. However, despite social networks’ apparent simplicity and universality, most scientists and researchers note many negative factors. The essay highlights the central negative moments that indirectly or directly affect a person’s mental state and his or her emotional intelligence.
First of all, social networks are one of the ways to spend a person’s leisure time. Sometimes people do not notice how they spend much time in vain. They flip through the news feed on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, and watch videos on YouTube. After all, they can spend their time much better: meeting friends, cooking a delicious dinner, or engaging in self-education (Horwood & Anglim, 2019). In this case, it is essential to think about what useful information all this content carries and is helpful for a person.
Second, one risks “losing touch” with the outside world, spending much time on a computer or phone monitor. The lack of live communication affects the emotional and intellectual state – loss of a sense of reality, disorientation, and natural communication skills. A person may imagine that some personalities can also be easily “added to friends” or vice versa “deleted” (Horwood & Anglim, 2019). In the same way, one can “repost” an event, announcement, or news on the page instead of doing a good deed in reality. For example, cleaning up the streets and making the planet a little cleaner, feeding animals, or even helping the poor and homeless people.
Third, there is a chance to “pick up” dependence on social networks with sufficient addictive potential. Obsessive use of Internet communication, sometimes, can be worse than alcohol and cigarettes. According to psychological research, dependence on social networks is an officially recognized disorder, which requires professional help (Twenge, 2019). Teenagers are especially susceptible to this, whose lack of Internet access can cause an actual mental “breakdown.”
Fourth, high expectations and the fear of missing something important created by social networks can reduce self-esteem and cause anxiety and depression. Photos of beautiful and thin models in magazines and Instagram, also processed in Photoshop, have long been recognized as a source of low self-esteem among young women. In addition, viewing other people’s selfies makes young people feel less happy, unattractive, and unsure of themselves.
Fifth, the above problems are exacerbated by the psychological pressure on the individual on the Internet and lack of sleep – another harmful consequence of spending a long time on social networks. The habit of checking the news feed before going to bed harms sleep quality. Studies show that blue light from smartphone and laptop screens suppresses the production of the hormone melatonin, which promotes sleep.
In conclusion, it is worth remembering the importance of interacting with live people in the real world. Social networks are just an addition to full-fledged communication, but not its replacement. Indeed, virtual communication itself does not cause any significant harm to the psyche and health in general if one uses it in moderation. Therefore, it is worth taking only positive moments from chat applications and messengers on the Internet and filtering out the negative ones.
References
Horwood, S., & Anglim, J. (2019). Problematic smartphone usage and subjective and psychological well-being. Computers in Human Behavior, 97, 44-50. Web.
Twenge, J. M. (2019). More time on technology, less happiness? Associations between digital-media use and psychological well-being. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 28(4), 372–379.