The human species is a social animal. To prosper in life, we require the company of others, and the quality of our relationships has a considerable impact on both our mental health and pleasure. Social engagement with others has been demonstrated to shorten lifespan, ease loneliness, ease stress, anxiety, and depression, boost self-esteem, and bring comfort and joy. But, a lack of solid social connections might negatively affect your mental and emotional health.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, and Twitter are increasingly widely used by people worldwide for communication. Although each has benefits, it's vital to keep in mind that social media will never completely replace in-person engagement. Only when you are in close physical contact with other people do the hormones that lessen stress and boost happiness, health, and optimism start to flow. Interestingly, social media, which is supposed to bring people together, can raise mental health difficulties like anxiety and depression if you spend too much time using it. It can also make you feel more alone and lonely.

It could be an opportunity to reconsider your online behaviours and achieve a healthy balance if you're using social media excessively and experience sadness, dissatisfaction, frustration, or loneliness.

What is depression?

A mood disorder known as clinical depression or major depressive disorder is characterised by persistent sadness and a loss of interest in once-enjoyed activities. Depression affects a person's ability to concentrate, sleep, eat, make decisions, and carry out daily tasks. The disease can be minor or severe. Individuals who are depressed might think about ending their lives, feel worthless, get anxious, or experience physical symptoms like fatigue or headaches. Psychotherapy and medication are two common treatments for depression. Social media usage should be limited, and real-world interactions should take priority.

The positive aspects of social media

There are numerous healthy ways that social media can help you stay connected and boost your well-being, even though it doesn't have the same psychological advantages as face-to-face conversation. Using social media helps you:

The negative aspects of social media

Since social media is a relatively new technology, there hasn't been much research done to determine whether using it will have positive or negative long-term effects. Nonetheless, several studies have found a substantial link between excessive social media use and an increased risk of sadness, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal ideation. Social networking could promote negative experiences like:

Feeling insufficient in your life or appearance:

 Even if you are aware that the images you are seeing on social media have been changed, they may still cause you to feel insecure about your appearance or the circumstances of your own life. Similarly, we are all aware that many times people only talk about the good things that have happened in their lives rather than the bad things that everyone experiences. But, looking at a friend's Photoshopped photos of their exotic beach trip or reading about their exciting new career development still leaves you feeling envious and dissatisfied.

Fear of missing out (FOMO) and social media addiction: Although FOMO has been there for much longer than social media, social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram seem to make it worse. Similar to an addiction, worrying that you're missing out on something might make you feel less confident in yourself and use social media more. FOMO can cause you to constantly check your phone for updates or compulsively react to every alert, even if doing so puts your safety and the safety of other people in danger while you're operating a motor vehicle, prevents you from getting enough sleep at night, or forces you to prioritize social media interaction over in-person relationships.

Isolation: According to a University of Pennsylvania study, frequent use of Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram does not help people feel less lonely. In contrast, the study discovered that cutting back on social media can boost your general well-being and make you feel less lonely and isolated.

Both anxiety and depression: Face-to-face interaction is essential for maintaining human mental health. The quickest and most effective technique to reduce stress and boost your mood is to make eye contact with a loving individual. If you prefer social media connection to face-to-face relationships, you run the risk of developing mood disorders including anxiety and depression.