It is estimated that three billion people from all corners of the globe, about 40% of the population, employ social networks on the World Web. But what is the phenomenon of Internet media? Are they flawless in comparison to offline communication?
There would be a negative reply to this question. Social networks are a gathering place where everyone tests their acting abilities: someone is a loser in life, but his Instagram page is full of bright pictures screaming about a fantasy life.
Paraphrasing the words of the legendary Shakespeare, there is no doubt that “The whole Internet is the stage, and everyone is playing his part”. Your page on social media is already a kind of status, an element of image creation, sometimes even decisive. For instance, let’s have a look at the profile of any moving company. When the user has a look at the web page of movers boston to NYC, he will get assured it is a trustworthy relocation enterprise standing out with incredible feedback and pricing policy.
Stress
Social media is a meeting place where we often express our outrage about anything, from mediocre service to political issues. This allows us to let off steam but turns our news feed into an endless stream of negativity.
Constant updates of the Facebook or Instagram feed cause not only joyful feelings but also envy. Read messages often remain unanswered, and an iPhone that freezes for a day becomes a grief.
In 2013, the Oxford Dictionary even added FOMO, which stands for Fear Of Missing Out. The phobia appeared primarily in people who were too carried away by virtual life, who began to feel anxious, watching the lives of their friends on social networks and comparing it with their own.
Mood
Probably, all of us have been on the hook of social media for a long time. It is obvious If a person is under the weather, then scrolling through the bulk of new posts releases dopamine and skyrockets the mood. This effect is temporary and, as soon as we close the app, everything turns back.
Scrolling through the news page is a rapid and straightforward tool to deal with anxiety, discomfort in life, and unpleasant news and work that you need to do. Overall, scrolling social media has turned into a safety cushion for minds.
Sleep
For most of their history, people spent their evenings in the dark, and just now, artificial lighting has appeared in our bedrooms. As we go to bed and turn the lights off, there is a smartphone at arm’s length. Why not scroll through the Instagram feed for five minutes and watch a couple of videos on YouTube?
It should be noted that the habit of checking the news feed on Facebook or Twitter before going to bed has a long-lasting negative effect leading to REM sleep phase reduction and insomnia.
Conclusions
Being a hot topic for discussion, excessive use of social media may be undesirable for some users. But, on the other hand, it would be wrong to say that online networking is pure evil because it brings numerous perks for everyone.
