Do you suffer from Facebook Envy or Sadfishing? Have you ever heard of Internet Banging? The Internet is a wonderful tool for most of us. As a result, more and more teenagers are spending more time online without parental supervision. But some experts now say social media is toxic. Here are some examples of how social media can harm your mental health.
6 Reasons Why Social Media Is Toxic
1. Facebook Envy
Facebook envy is an illustration of a negative social media trend. Do you secretly feel envious of your friends’ lives when you read their Facebook posts?
The point is that the face we show on social media is the best possible face. We photoshop our selfies to look like models and celebrities.
Furthermore, we honor our lives to show only the most interesting parts. We highlight our best achievements. Romance is always perfect with our partners who do everything for us. No wonder our friends worry that their lives aren’t right.
But in the real world, constantly comparing each other’s lives can cause real depression, low self-esteem, and feelings of worthlessness.
What to do
Don’t compare your life with your friends or family. Remember that no one knows exactly what is going on behind the neatly presented façade of social media. In fact, the reality may be completely different.
2. Sadfishing
If you haven’t heard of sadfishing, it’s the latest malicious trend to hit social media sites. Sadfishing is where someone (usually a young person) posts a message about a personal issue, often in a vague way, to elicit empathy and attention.
Possible examples include:
- I can’t continue in this manner for much longer.
- I’m really unhappy with my life.
- feel like just giving up.
- Nobody can comprehend me.
- What use is it to keep going?
Examples of celebrities include Kendall Jenner and Justin Bieber. These two celebrities have been poured out on social media. They then received hundreds of thousands of likes on Instagram. In particular, their personal heartbreaking stories have attracted great public attention towards the couple.
However, there is a flip side to sharing raw, emotional documents online. For example, a young person posted a very personal and extremely distressing passage about his life but did not get the support he imagined. Instead, they are mocked or threatened. Even worse would be if someone encouraged them to commit suicide.
But there’s an even more unsettling side to this toxic social media trend. It’s about preparing offenders to use those comments to penetrate the minds of vulnerable young people. Therefore, the groomer will empathize with the young, can share the story on their own to bond more. All of this is done to trick and trap vulnerable people.
What to do
Speak with a live person. a trusted friend, relative, teacher, or other person. Keep really private topics off of social media.
3. Internet Banging
Researchers studying social media have identified a clear link between youth violence and what they call “Internet banging” Online taunts, dissent, and arguments can quickly escalate into offline tribal warfare.
“Social media doesn’t just reflect conflicts in schools and on the streets – it escalates and sparks new conflicts,” said Caitlin Elsaesser, a social researcher at the University of Connecticut.
As part of a three-year study, she surveyed dozens of teenagers about their experiences on social media.
His conclusion: Social media shapes the nature and intensity of conflict in ways that can escalate into physical violence and, in the worst cases, death.
4. Your Self-Esteem Might Take a Hit
You know that many (if not most) of the images you view online have been altered or improved in some way. But that does not matter. In the end, you always feel like you’re not enough compared to the people you see on TikTok and ‘gram. Worse still, people who post heavily edited photos sometimes act as if they are an accurate representation of how they look, which makes you feel even more inadequate.
5. It’s Bad for Impulse Control
Have you ever tried to work at your desk, with your phone a foot away from you, face down… and you just couldn’t resist? Do you need to get it in case someone posts something important?
They didn’t do that. They didn’t post anything important. Social media makes it harder to control these cravings.
Now, we don’t want to turn social media into a disaster. When used properly, it can be a great tool.
6. Trolls / Memes
One of the best parts of social networking are the Memes & Troll pages. They are funny, easy to understand and make us feel lighter on stressful days.
So why do I consider this as one of the reasons social media is toxic?
Because a lot of people push boundaries and create memes that are more offensive than funny. Lagging Actors, Politicians, Athletes, Religions and even extremist countries only cause harm. Imagine thousands or even 10 people watching you and laughing at you. How will you feel?
Then you can imagine how difficult it is for people to deal with the trolls and memes of thousands of people.
There have also been cases of mental health problems and even suicide due to negative things received on social media.
I usually get nervous every time I see a person, religion, country or anyone else taking on any form of negativity on social media.
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