Do different social networking sites offer other benefits or drawbacks? What factors might influence whether Facebook has negative influences, like links to depression, versus positive results, such as boosts in self-esteem?
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In my experience, different social networking sites do offer some benefits and drawbacks. I have participated on Instagram and Facebook but had to take a break mostly from Facebook, and even considered deleting them from time to time. Instagram has always felt like it had the least amount of pressure compared to other social media sites. Factors linking to depression I would say could be the pressures of response, and I've always felt like I was unable to escape fight or flight, and feelings of stress when I would hear a notification going off. This would build and build leading to increased anxiety making depression harder to manage and escape sometimes. I'm sure many others have experienced this as a drawback. Little things such as turning notifications off, turning volumes down, and learning just to ignore my phone has helped with this a little bit.
Does anyone else find themselves screenshotting so many things they want to remember or keep, but then it piles up and your photos get so full?
The doom scroll also I feel can be detrimental to our health. This is a struggle especially scrolling on social media before bed I feel many people have. It can be addicting to access knowledge quickly and can give us the dopamine hits we crave, but too much could lead to mental burnout. As mentioned in Chapter 2 of "Interplay: The Process of Interpersonal Communication (16th ed.)" the unhealthy aspects of social media are discussed, citing issues such as studies addiction to smart phones, sleep deprivation due to people staying up for hours checking devices, and how cell phone addictions can lead to anxiety. It is reported that people who take time off from social media report better moods, less anxiety, and increased face-to-face interactions (Adler & Proctor. 2023).
I do enjoy sharing photos of small moments, like early mornings at work or if I discover something fun like non-dairy Reddi wip, and can share this with friends when I normally wouldn't be able to.
Some positive benefits of social media would be staying in connection with loved ones and friends that we normally don't get much time to see in person or talk to often. In todays world we spend so much time working, commuting, working more, having to cook and clean, take care of our families, and work on school, so it can be hard to spend face to face time with friends. Social media helps us stay in touch and connected in some cases. I always enjoy seeing my friends and loved ones posting a picture of something fun they did, made, or just get an update on their wellbeing.
Adler, R. B., & Proctor, R. F. II. (2023). Interplay: The process of interpersonal communication (16th ed.). Oxford University Press.
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