Over the years, social media has become a powerful tool for people to connect with family and friends, interact with each other, and aid business transactions worldwide.
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But, it has also posed a massive threat to the mental health of users who usually seek validation from the online audience through likes. The platforms also heighten the chances of depression for ever-active users as they compare themselves with other users in appearances and social status.
“People are finding less and less meaning in life because they lack a filter for what they consume, which affects them subconsciously.”
People want to compare themselves with others on social media without recognizing that people post the good moments in their life and their best pictures with filters. Another person will have no idea about what they look like in reality,” said Viola during the Fatboy Show.
Because of this competition, she said people keep pushing themselves to live like others without appreciating what they already have and end up feeling empty from seeing others living a better life than them.
James Onen, a co-presenter of the Show said that many social media users fear missing out on information on the internet. Also, the need for someone to keep up with friends and business ventures that make one question their career choices.
“You may develop the urge to jump from one thing to another. It can end up being an endless cycle, and you’ll never settle on something because you get to believe that you are always missing out on something better. Because social media is filled with oceans of information, you feel inadequate,” he said.
In 2018, a British study found that frequent social media use led to mental health issues such as depression, insomnia, memory loss, and lower academic performance.
According to a study by the University of Pennsylvania, one can deal with social media effects through personal monitoring, limiting the time one spends on the sites, and denying themselves access to sites that trigger anxiety and depression.
The Fatboy show is hosted by James Onen aka Fatboy, Olive, and Sarah every weekday from 6 am to 10 am on RX Radio.