In my last post we briefly discussed about what is social media. At the of the end of the article I left you with a question, “How many hours do you spend on social media?” For some they might spend only 30-45 mins out of my day. Others, a few hours a day and some will admit they are addicted, eyes glued to their phone. By the title, we will discuss how social media can play a part in your life. It can play a part in numerous ways but today we will only mention a few. Let’s get started.

Social media can be an effective tool for business owner and entrepreneurs. It’s a perfect way to network, market and get your brand out there. Especially ones that are barely starting. One of the common mistakes that owners do is open an account on every social media platform, do great the first few weeks and then show no activity on the page. Take time to share the latest news about the brand, the upcoming products, discounts for the month and more on a daily to reach potential customers and keep regular customers coming back. By using social media, it can save you money from hoarding, pamphlets, and more. But what about those who don’t run a business? That’s a great question. Social media is a way to contact those that are not near by like family member that lives out of town or a long time friend that happened to move out of state. Social media can also be motivating and educational for those reading or scrolling through things that bring positivity or being informed on what piques their interest. We can also create communities where many like minded people near or far get together and chat online and talk about a subject that brings them interest or like some communities that are trying to make a difference in this world. Social media is also a great platform for those seeking new jobs. Instead of driving from destination to destination asking for or handing in an application and printing out several copies of your resume. You can apply right from home or wherever you are in just a click of a button. Social media can be useful for many avenues in life but we must watch how we use social media.

Social media plays a part differently on everyone’s life but it’s interesting how commonly it affects peoples mental health. I read that social media can lead to sleep deprivation, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and more. Let’s briefly mention a few way it takes a toll on your mental health. On social media, we see many flaunting their luxurious items and fancy vacations. When coming across those photos how does it make you feel? According to research, many people that stumble across those photos develop an envious feeling due to them not being able to purchase items or a vacation like the ones portrayed online. But did you know, not everything thing you see on social media is true? People have the capability share only what they want the viewers to see and believe. Its common that users portray a luxurious lifestyle on their page that many don’t live. Some expensive material possessions aren’t bought to keep, its usually rented for a day to flaunt on social media just so you, the viewer can see the “wealth” they have obtained and the item is return the very next day. Another common thing we see are flawless photos. Don’t we all love clear skin and a skinny waist?When you stumble across those pictures? Let me tell you, I get a little jealous when it comes to clear skin. According to research, people that scroll through photos like these contribute to their low self esteem (if they have already felt this way) and sometimes this leads to a feeling of not feeling worthy. We have to keep in mind though that the majority of these people aren’t that flawless. We thank this little thing called Photoshop to make us unbelievably beautiful in our photos. Social media has played a big part of how women and men should look like in order to receive the attention and gain popularity online. So if you ever catch yourself comparing who you are to these photos, just remember they are edited and filtered. How many of you use your cell phones at night to watch videos, scroll through social media, or to chat with someone online? I think we are all guilt of that right? We use our phones to wind down before we head to bed. In reality, it does the opposite affect. The blue light on your phone tricks your brain into believing that there is still daylight, making it harder for you to fall asleep. Studies have show that those who watch or serf through the web at night tend to suffer from sleep deprivation. Often times I see many get sucked into social media that they tend to lose track of time and find themselves with piles of things to do the very next day. I have to admit, I’m guilt of this one. Going back to self-esteem, have you hear of “Cancel Culture?” I just discovered this a few weeks ago. I don’t know much about it but from what I research, Cancel culture is when a widely known social media influencer’s career is over (cancelled) due to an action they did that upset many viewers because their action was unacceptable. If you keep up with social media you know a few celebrities this happened too. Social media can be a good or bad place. But not everyone feels this way. Social media can me very motivating to others and some are strict on how much time they spend on it. Sadly, when I log on to social media big stars and many people have mentioned that they are in need for a social media break due to how overwhelming it can and need to get their mental health to a healthy state.

Another social media platform that is commonly used now a day is online dating. Let’s talk briefly about this topic. The name is pretty explanatory but online dating is a site or app where people seek to find a significant other or a one night stand. You create an account and in just a few words you describe yourself and share a few photos. Once a person stumbles across your profile it’s up to them to decide either if you are what they are looking for. If the person decided you are their type they are allowed to message you and so. For those that have agreed to schedule a first date often reported that first dates are usually awkward and most of the time the person they were speaking to online does not match their personality and/or appearance in person. If they hit it off after the first date the 2 can continue to talk or what commonly happens is you get “ghosted.” “Ghosting” is when a person suddenly disappearance from someone’s life (usually through text or online) without explain why or giving forewarning. Studies shown that people that use these sites show lower self esteem and struggle social interactions. But there has been occasions where these sites do actually work but it’s a small percentage for now.

As I mentioned earlier, there is so much to talk about when it come to how social media can play apart in many lives. But today I wanted to just mention a handful. Down below are links I left that go more in-depth about social media and how it plays apart. Thank you for reading!

Links: https://www.akuamindbody.com/blog/3-ways-social-media-affecting-your-mental-health/ , https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20180104-is-social-media-bad-for-you-the-evidence-and-the-unknowns , https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/talking-about-men/201810/are-dating-apps-damaging-our-mental-health