Does Social Media Cause Anxiety?

Anxious To Jump Online

With so many social media platforms to choose from, it can become quite a challenge to know which is right for you. Maybe none are right! Social media offers many ways to communicate with friends and strangers, but this can become very stressful and anxiety-driven.

Always worrying about the life of others distracts you from what is more important in life: you! You start to become fascinated with what your friends are doing; you want to see more glimpses of their life rather than bettering yourself. It’s as if your brain has become conditioned to check their social media pages in order to get its fix.

Considering that we live in a very materialistic society, social media can also cause anxiety when you are exposed to the glamorous and exotic lives of others. You notice all the pictures on Instagram of beauty, luxury and fame; at first it may seem exciting, but over time, you feel inferior because you realize very well that you lack those things.

Social media can also cause anxiety when you repeatedly notice that a group of people consistently have plans in which you are left out of. You start questioning your status and whether you are good enough for them. This behavior over time promotes more anxiety and even feelings of depression.

This does not mean that social media causes anxiety for everyone. People are different; what affects somebody does not touch another. This is the way of life. But if you are experiencing uncomfortable feelings when using social media, it is important to be aware that social media may be responsible.

If it takes pressing the delete button to feel better about yourself and improve your mental health, then do that before it develops into something more serious!

Are you Ready? (This is Defeating Stigma Mindfully)