Ahmed Shaami
Since its launch, Facebook has given people the power of share to make the world more connected. In early days, the social media giant held so many such promises for people and communities. But now the same platform is making people depressed and it seems that sharing everything with people on Facebook does not make you jump out of your seat with joy anymore.
In fact, research has found that people find Facebook and other social media sites not so great for mental health. Instead, being blissfully open and connected to your friends makes you feel inadequate and depressed.
People are now more prone to the fear of missing out because of the posting on social media websites.
Following are the five ways you need to realize that the social media contact send you into a depression:
It forces you into comparison:
It is very common for people to post their daily photos and videos on Facebook. These photos show how much you are enjoying and how much are blessed as compared to other people. But there are people who cannot have the same things as you have and it sends them into a depression and fails to live a normal life. It makes them question why they don’t have all the luxuries that you can afford and an unending comparison leads them to severe depression and anxiety.
The reality gets blurred:
With so much of the reality shows going on, it becomes difficult to differentiate reality from acting. On Facebook, everything seems like a reality and this is the reason that fake news gets so many shares in the shortest possible time. It makes everything looks glossy and aspirational and sometimes makes something really ordinary look extremely remarkable.
You aspire to be like others:
Before the evolution of social media platforms, people used to focus on their own aspirations which helped them to reach their goals. But now, social media platforms have changed the way you see the world. The depression is because the comparison inspires you to be like others and not think what you actually want. You think of your favorite celebrities and make every possible effort to be like them but in doing so; you lose the originality that you have.
It consumes times:
Another important factor of frustration and depression among people is being able to connect with the social media happenings at anytime and anywhere. Even while doing your work, you scroll down through Facebook posts which consumes a lot of your time which could otherwise be spent on something productive.
For seeking outside validation:
It is because of Facebook and Instagram that there has been a huge rise in people who seek outside validation. These are the people who always wanted attention but the social media platform made it easier for them to pretend to be great in front of others. People seek validation from others instead of working to improve them and just get satisfied with the amount of attention they get. This is the reason it has given rise to many Instagram celebrities who in actual are not as great as they pretend to be. They find their life is online and never get satisfied unless they check their profile every few minutes.
Because social media is free, it has become a lot easier for people to connect. But instead of being a useful tool, it gives a false sense of connections with others and gives rise to feelings of depression and insecurity when people see themselves not as good as others.
