Social Media has become the favorite place for teenagers to entertain. Coming home from a busy schedule and scrolling down the popular social media sites will obviously give them some sort of relaxation. This social media addiction is the main reason for teenage cell phone addiction. In its negative effect, the overuse of social media can cause mental illnesses such as depression, and anxiety. Not only that, but the cause of cyberbullying and harassment is also increasing because of social media. That’s why social media is toxic. 

A recent study on Instagram shows that 32% of teenage girls feel worse about their bodies. It shows that social media can break self-esteem and self-confidence. Read this article till the end to know why social media is toxic and how to avoid those toxic effects.

Why social media is toxic?

When social media has started in its early days, the only original purpose was to bring people together. It was the medium to connect the people. But after the Covid-19 outbreak, we have witnessed social distancing. So during the pandemic, many people take the maximum benefit from social media features. They use social media like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat to share their thoughts, views, Covid stories, etc. They start to build communities. And now, social sites are also about ads, branded content, and news. People forget social media is a small glimpse of real life that they want to show, and start believing everything they saw. Let’s go through point by point to discuss why social media is toxic.

Comparison with Others

Comparison of likes, views, and comments in the post seems so increasing these days. People fight here to get praise from others. Teens can use social media to compare themselves with others. People in real life and social media are different.

 For example, teens look at their friends and think their life is fabulous. They start dreaming to have outfits and living styles like theirs. But they don’t realize that comparison can trigger and hamper their mental health. Comparison with others can affect the mental health of both the young and old generations. 

“Comparison destroys our joy.’”

Sleep can be interrupted.

The doctors recommend turning off the mobile screen at least 30 minutes before going to bed. But social media algorithms are designed to be addictive. It will show you the ads you prefer to watch, and the same goes with the other posts. That’s why you keep scrolling without realizing it is bedtime. Parents need to turn off their kid’s electronic devices at night. And parents also need to sleep at a time. Kids learn things from their parents, so teach them to sleep on time.

Fake News

As everyone knows, people use social media to share their opinions and views. And without verifying whether the news is true, other people start sharing it. In a flash of time, the fake news spread overall on social media. Don’t believe everything that you read online. 

Destroy Healthy Relationship

It is not hidden from anyone that people love to stay online. Social media can overshadow real life. So people in healthy relationships can also get affected by it. Social media is so toxic that friends can also become enemies. No one knows what to believe and whom to believe. Trying to please others can take their original aesthetics away from them. 

The photos and posts of others may lead the couple to have more expectations from their partner. And if the partner is unable to fulfill their demand, then a rift can arise in the relationship. As a result, couples tend to start cheating on their partners.

Privacy Breaches 

“My data is only my data.” 

Well, it is true if your data is only with you. But if you post anything online, it will always be online. No matter you later delete it permanently or not. Also, popular social media platforms can take your data and sell it to third-party companies.

In addition, hackers and scammers can easily take your information from social media and misuse it. That’s why you need to think twice before posting anything online. 

Jealousy 

Jealousy starts from there when one is questioning their self-worth. When people don’t find themselves sufficient, they compare themselves with others. It can hurt people. And in jealousy, people can do something wrong that they don’t have to do. Passing harsh comments on others’ posts to project their anger is not good.

Ways to avoid/deal with the toxic effect of Social Media

Since we have discussed the negative and toxic effects of social media, now let’s move into the ways to avoid them.

Delete account

The straight action that you can take to avoid the negative effects of social media is deleting your social media accounts permanently. Though it is not easy, it is definitely a very simple one. 

Take a break

If you can’t go with the first option, then the next you can do is take a break. Go for a family vacation for a short time and spend time with your family members. Only your close ones will be with you at the end of the day, supporting you.  

Ignore

 If someone on the social site is constantly bothering you, ignore it and move on. If the person is passing harsh comments on you through a message or comment and it is affecting your mental state, just block them, even if they are your friends.

Portray real you

Nothing is wrong with being imperfect. You don’t need to show off. In fact, be the real you, present yourself, and embrace yourself. Post the picture without filter and editing. Don’t be shy about your appearance. 

Spread kindness online

No matter how strong the hatred is, love can win the heart. In a world where people feel self-conscious and insecure, pass a healthy comment to boost their confidence on social media. In addition to that, praise someone else work, share your positive thoughts about them. More importantly, express your gratitude for the people in your life. Make them feel worthy.

Use parental controls and set time limits.

It works well when you set time limits on the use of social media. Parents who are worried about their child’s social media use can use the best parental control apps to monitor them. They can set parental control on Facebook, and Instagram. 

Lock Social Media Profile

The ones who want more followers keep their accounts public on Instagram. When your account is public, anyone can get access to your account. As a result, the stranger might throw personal comments and make you feel low. So we recommend you make your Instagram account private. And lock your Facebook profile to stop others from viewing your profile. 

Conclusion

Similar to the computer age, social media is a new age gaining everyone’s attention. People can communicate, share their thoughts, and interact with others virtually through social media. But on its dark side, social media increased cyberbullying and harassment. Among everyone, LGBTQ youth are at a higher risk of online bullying. It reflects the sad story of our society.

As proverbs say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover” real quality is found in depth. Fight for claps and views on social media is increasing. That’s why social media is toxic. Use the ways mentioned above to reduce the toxicity of social media.