Tia Talks: Harmful Social Media Habits

By Tia Cham

Over the past century social media websites have become a common part of everyday life in the UK. With many Brits owning a smartphone and even more Brits having social media accounts on sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
However, mounting evidence suggests that this ‘smartphone’ culture and the increasing usage of social media may actually have negative effects on users. Research hints that there is a connection between social media and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, especially amongst adolescents and young adults.
During my final year of university, looming deadlines and a non-existent social life began to take a toll on me. In a bid to minimise my FOMO (fear of missing out) induced anxiety I decided to take a month-long social media detox which actually did wonders as I felt that my mental health had improved. Upon my return to social media however I quickly became aware of some of the habits I and many others like myself had adopted and how they could become detrimental.
1. Scrolling Aimlessly
One of the glories of social media is that it enables us access to people all over the globe and allows us to connect and follow the journey of those who we admire and inspire us. However, occasionally we may lose sight of the mere fact that social media is a highlight reel and begin to compare our everyday lives to the ones we see crafted on the explore page. This overindulging in other people’s posts and scrolling aimlessly through your feed or timeline can become detrimental especially when you’re in a dark and lonely place.

2. Overusing Filters
Unicorn horns, dog ears and love hearts are just some of the fun and quirky filters to choose from on Instagram and Snapchat. However, as time has gone on many of these platforms are now offering perfecting filters that smooth your skin, thin your face and change your eye colour. According to plastic surgeons young women are no longer looking at celebrities for inspiration but rather their own heavily filtered and edited faces, what they deem as the ‘perfect’ versions of themselves. This phenomenon of overusing perfecting filters can be problematic when you find yourself relying on them and plagued with dysmorphic thoughts.

3. Lusting for likes
I definitely have been guilty of this one. Posting that cute selfie that you’re certain will have the likes swooning in or posting some good news and expecting an array of comments that say ‘Congratulations’. Yes, I’ve been there. I’ve also experienced that slight sting when you don’t get the number of likes you were hoping for or that positive reaction you expected. It sucks, it does. What sucked even more was when I realised that chasing likes was a form of external approval. Seeking approval from strangers online or even those close to you is rarely a good idea and the number of likes you get does not reflect your worth as a person. This can easily be forgotten when you’re lost in the world of social media.
Social media definitely has its pros, but as with many things using it excessively can be very unhealthy. Whilst it is a testimony to how rapidly digital media is changing and improving, it is worth acknowledging that social media is relatively new and the long-term effects of overusing it are only now starting to rear their heads. So although I encourage you to make the most of it, have fun and connect with others, it is also important to be mindful of how you’re using it and whether it’s impacting you negatively. If it is, remember there’s nothing wrong with taking a break here and there.