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What are 5 negative things about social media?

5 Negative Effects of Social Media Depression. Studies have found a link between depression and social media use. ... FOMO – Fear of Missing Out. Fear of Missing Out was born the same time social media was. ... Unrealistic Expectations. ... Shortened Attention Span. ... Unhealthy Sleeping Patterns.

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If you are reading this, it is safe to say you may have fallen victim to the harmful effects of social media. The physical and mental addiction caused is due to the neuroplasticity in our brains which make new neural connections and may change the way we process information. A study at Harvard University discussed how the use of social media lights up the same part of the brain that also ignites while taking an addictive substance. Our brains release dopamine, a feel-good chemical, when we experience a positive social interaction and this reinforces us to repeat the action causing addiction.

1. Depression

Studies have found a link between depression and social media use. Spending large amounts of time on social networking sites can negatively affect your mood. Moreover, habitual users are said to more likely report poor mental health, including symptoms of anxiety and depression. Social media posts generally only show the best parts of everyone’s lives, which makes you negatively compare yourself to others. When comparing yourself to others it is a sure path to anxiety, and social networking has only made it easier to do this. So how does one use social media without triggering psychological distress? It’s simple, it is all about moderation. It is recommended to only spend around 30 mins per day on social media.

2. FOMO – Fear of Missing Out

Fear of Missing Out was born the same time social media was. FOMO is a form of anxiety that you experience when you are scared of missing out on a positive experience that others are having. An example of this is constantly checking your phone to see if anyone has invited you out or checking your Instagram to see if your friends are doing something fun without you. With amplified social media use, there is a better chance for you to see that somebody is having a better time than you are at the moment. And that is exactly what causes FOMO.

3. Unrealistic Expectations

This isn’t just about photos being ruthlessly edited, it is also about how the majority of the time only the best side of life is posted. Underweight, photoshopped models on magazines used to be the problem when it came to negative body image in our society, now it is social medias filters, lighting, clever angles and Face Tune that has taken over on a larger scale. According to a survey by Scope, half of the users out of 1500 surveyed said social media makes them feel inadequate and unattractive. Penn State University found that users selfies lowered self-esteem as they would compare themselves to the photos of others looking and feeling their digitally enhanced best.

4. Shortened Attention Span

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It isn’t just your subconscious brain that you need to be worried about when consuming too much social media, but the degree to which your brain is fully able to concentrate when awake. Although it is astonishing how much information is readily available at our fingertips in our day and age thanks to social networking sites, it also means people have far smaller attention spans and can be easily distracted. “Social media has provided a means of constantly giving into the temptation of instant, easy-access entertainment,” said Dr Bono. The constant use of social media has shortened our attention span from 12 minutes to 5 minutes. Having constant brief news feeds and now TikTok videos that are 1 minute or less has rewired our brains to get used to these fast, transient interactions. Studies have shown that individuals who spend an average of 5 hours per day on social media have trouble remembering people's names. This could be an explanation for the influx of ADHD amongst todays youth.

5. Unhealthy Sleeping Patterns

Spending large amounts of time on social media can cause terribly unhealthy sleeping patterns. Anxiety and depression because of social media also assist this. If your sleep pattern has changed or become irregular, one strategy to help would be to cut down on the amount of time on your phone before bed. Give your brain a rest and stop the dopamine release. Using social media at night before bed can lead to overtime on your phone as the algorithms are stealing your valuable sleep. It is so easy to spend a few minutes checking your notifications and get lost in the world of social networking.

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