MENTAL ILLNESS FACTORY

The rapid development of social networking sites (SNSs) such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace,Instagram, and so on has caused several profound changes in the way people communicate and interact.

The constant barrage of perfectly filtered photos that appear on Instagram are bound to knock many people’s self-esteem, while obsessively checking your Twitter feed just before bed could be contributing towards poor quality of sleep.

As human beings, it’s so important for us to be able to communicate and forge personal connections with one another. However, it can be hard to do so when we’re glued to rectangular screens, becoming more acquainted with our friends’ digital facades than their real-life personas.

Some researchers have associated online social networking with several psychiatric disorders, including depressive symptoms, anxiety, and low self-esteem.

One of the reasons why time spent on social networking sites may be associated with depressive symptoms is the fact that computer-mediated communication may lead to the altered impression of the physical and personality traits of other users. Depressive symptoms, such as low mood and feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness, were linked to the quality of online interactions. This may lead to incorrect conclusions regarding physical appearance, educational level, intelligence, moral integrity, as well as many other characteristics of online friends. Risk of depression and anxiety is high among people who use the most social media platforms. Reasons for this, include cyber-bullying, having a distorted view of other people’s lives, and feeling like time spent on social media is a waste.

It is probable, however, that the overall impact of SNS on self-esteem is much more complex. Constant self-evaluation on an everyday basis, competition and comparing one's own achievements with those of other users, incorrectly perceiving physical/emotional/social characteristics of others, feeling of jealousy, and narcissistic behavior—these are all factors that may positively or negatively influence self-esteem.

Women’s magazines and their use of underweight and Photoshopped models have been long maligned for stirring self-esteem issues among young women. But now, social media, with its filters and lighting and clever angles, is taking over as a primary concern among some campaigning groups and charities.

Social media sites make more than half of users feel inadequate. However, comparing yourself to others on social media by stalking their aesthetically perfect Instagram photos or staying up to date with their relationship status on Facebook could do little to assuage your feelings of self-doubt.

Online social networking has caused significant changes in the way people communicate and interact. Some of these changes affect normal aspects of human behavior and cause psychiatric disorders.

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