Social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are great tools for connecting with friends and family, but they can also have a downside. “Social media is creating anxiety and depression,” says clinical psychologist Lisa Strohman. Here are three ways social media is ruining your life:
1. It reduces the amount of personal connections we have with others
“It was created to connect all of us together, but the reality is it’s making us more disconnected. We're really not spending time face to face with people anymore,” says Strohman. She adds that we’re using our smart phones to message more and talking less.
2. It affects our self-esteem
A recent study out of the UK reported it’s common to feel bad after viewing social media because we compare our accomplishments with our online friends.
3. It creates unhealthy competition
“What I'm seeing in the younger generation is that they're forming their life how they can compete with the other people that they know that are posting things….I've got a client who wants to go hiking only to have the post that shows he made it to the top, but not because he really likes hiking."
Strohman suggests we should take a vacation from social media by “taking a break for a week each month.”
How long can you go without getting on social media? Let us know on our official Twitter page, @TheListShowTV.
