Did you know that using the Internet can lead to mental health problems? Yes, that’s right! It starts out small, nothing less than a minor thought, but starts to grow within no time.
You may be wondering: “What causes mental health problems?” To tell you the truth, common causes of mental health problems often stem from childhood trauma or could be a result of genetics.
But, in today’s era, another essential root that promotes such issues has become widely available. It is none other than the Internet.
In this digital age, you may be surprised to find that the number of people coming out with mental diseases continues to rise. If you want to deal with these diseases, you need to embrace this era resolutely.
Hiding symptoms of illness can only cause problems. Hence, if you or any individual is experiencing such issues, please don’t disregard the matter. Face it so that you can retake control of your life.
Common Mental Health Problems
There are myriads of health problems that are common in this modern era. Some mental health problems are listed below:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Eating Disorder
- OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder)
- Paranoia
- Behavior Disorder
- Emotional Disorder
Most of the above-stated problems are common in children and teenagers as well as adults. Moreover, sometimes, these problems are present in other forms as well.
5 Causes of Mental Illness Due to Social Media
There are many causes of mental illness in general. Still, the reasons that are a result of social and digital media are as follows:
Appearance
The Internet is an open environment; there is no restriction to the things there. People can share pictures and videos, their entire life stories, etc. Hence, it is elementary for individuals to start comparing themselves to famous people online.
Images online are very heavily edited and manipulated, yet you still fall for their allure despite this knowledge. You start wanting a similar lifestyle as the one depicted online, leading to envy sprout.
This leads to many mental health problems, including eating disorders and depression.
For the love of money is the root of all evil (The bible.)
Isolation
Isolation is one of the leading causes of mental health problems. Did you know that social media actually promotes feelings of loneliness?
Yes, you read that right. Spending time on social media actually isolates you.
Depression
It is no secret that face-to-face interaction is an absolute must for a healthy conversation. A social media chat can never replace a real-time face-to-face conversation. In this regard, spending time with loved ones is a great way to cure depression and anxiety.
Online conversations are very impersonal. You don’t know how the other person you are talking to is feeling, what sort of expression they are making or if they even want to speak to you or just doing so as a formality.
Mood disorders are prevalent in individuals who choose to spend hours on social media over meeting up physically with people. Physical and social interaction is necessary for humans since it allows the conversation to be more intimate.
Cyber-bullying
One of the most common factors for mental health problems is trauma, and cyberbullying contributes to it dramatically. Did you know that every other person on the Internet has been a victim of cyberbullying?
Targeting certain people and hurling hurtful comments at them impacts them very strongly. Reports suggest many people isolating themselves just to escape the negative opinions of others.
Cyberbullying leaves scars; it is emotional abuse. If there is an instance of it happening within your vicinity, it needs to be stopped!
FOMA (Fear of Missing Out)
FOMA is a disorder itself; it causes you to be on edge constantly. You never want to miss something happening online. This can prove extremely dangerous for many people since it has you checking social media every few minutes.
This overall idea of FOMA that you are missing out on something important negatively impacts your life. Your self-esteem decreases, and you are prone to anxiety spells.
Overall, this also results in increased social media usage, which further gives way to depression.
How to Deal with Mental Illness?
Dealing with mental health problems, especially in this modernized age, has also taken a modernized twist. But, for dealing with issues that are caused by the digital age itself, some methods are as follows:
Limit Internet Usage
Yes, this may seem impossible, but it is highly recommended. The more you limit your overall online time, the less it can impact your mental health.
Plus, this will also allow you to focus on other tasks. Plan out a schedule for yourself to cut back on excess time you spend on the Internet. Successfully managing this method can increase almost all problems posed by social media.
Find a Distraction
Can’t seem to stop using social media? Find a new hobby to distract you. Watch a movie or tv series or do some gardening if you want.
The fundamental goal is to put your phone down and occupy yourself in other tasks to give yourself a much-needed break. This will also allow your mind to clear up and for you to feel refreshed.
Exercise:
This is a natural way to relieve stress and depression. It is better than taking a pill, and the side effect of exercise is fantastic. You should try it. When we exercise, our brain produces serotonin which naturally fights stress and depression. So what are you waiting for? Let’s move, start out slowly, then increase your daily exercise, whether it’s walking, running, or working out in the gym, but you have to move it to fix it correctly. You can start by working on your Posture since it has gone to zero from all this technology usage, use this as a simple start for your exercise.
Spend Time with Loved Ones
Social interaction is significant when it comes to mental health problems. Support from loved ones is vital in curing any mental health issues.
Sit down with your loved ones and spend time with them. It does not matter what you talk about; it can be anything. The main thing to know is that you are not alone and have these amazing people in your corner.
Listen To What Dr. Neil Nedley Has To Say:https://youtu.be/71iq7UqZYT0
Conclusion
And that’s all to it! Mental health problems will continue to grow as the age becomes more modernized. Social media won’t die down. Instead, it will continue to increase its influence.
It is on parents and teachers, the adults, to carefully direct the children into proper internet usage to prevent any dire effect on their mental health. Limiting children with careful strategic thinking can lead to a positive outcome.
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