Story by Blessing Mangwiro
According to research by Rosen et al. in 2013, the negative impact of social media emanates from the constant need for gratification on the platforms. This gratification comes in the form of likes and comments. This need for instant gratification has been said to be causing social media addiction which various studies have shown that it affects 5% of young adults in the world and is described as potentially addictive more than alcohol and cigarettes. When one fails to get the desired likes on social media it may cause negative self-reflection. The failure to get the desires gratification which has been described as the desire for a hit of dopamine, may lead individuals to constantly refresh their social media feeds. Drouin, et al (2012) noted that this constant refreshing of one’s feed eventually gives a rise to Phantom vibration syndrome (PVS) which is a condition where one is addicted to the vibration of their cell phone. A victim of PVS is obsessed with checking social media messages leading to manifestations of anxiety.
Anxiety emanating from social media use eventually leads to depression. Rosen et al (2013) revealed that symptoms of major depression have been found on individuals who spent more time on online activities and performing image management on social media sites. The depression caused by social media often comes from the unreasonable expectations promoted on the sites. There is a certain idealized body image that is promoted on social media which is detrimental to self esteem and image. The people who are usually seen as influential on social media present their followers with a certain idealized lifestyle entrenching unrealistic lifestyles which the young people should have. Failure to meet these standards causes low self-esteem and lack of satisfaction with how one looks leading to depression. This increased risk of depression arguably leads to negative behaviors like prostitution, self-harm and even suicidal thoughts. A study carried out locally by Say What has shown that many University female students indulge in intergenerational relationships with older men to get benefits like iPhones to capture high quality pictures, clothing as well as money to participate in activities they show off on social media.
The aspect of cyber bullying also contributes to the detrimental effects of social media. In December a NUST female student’ nude videos were leaked by an ex-boyfriend. These acts leave one with lasting emotional scars. They can also be dangerous to one’s career if not handled well. In seeking validation from lovers and friends, young adults share pictures which are said to be private. But the problem with social media is once something is shared you lose control of it. This is the reason why many young adults fall victim to this form of cyber bulling. Social media has also been used to spread rumors and lies. A recent example is that of Sean Mutikani who commented on Sue Maoneke Tagwirei’s picture with her newly wed husband. The comment suggested Sue was once everyone’s girl at school. This caused havoc between Sue and her husband till Sean was made to apologize. This a classic example of how social media can be detrimental to lives as such there is need to carefully use social media.
The lifestyles displayed on social media influence people to buy more and keep up hence becoming victims of consumerism in a different way from main stream media advertising. As social creatures humans tend to evaluate personal lives based on how neighbors and friends are doing. Observation of friends going for vacations, eating fancy food and living in luxurious houses on social networks prompts imitation to try and keep up with ‘the standards.’ There are certain idealized body structures and skin tones on social media, this makes people spend money on products to attain the so-called ideal bodies. Social media provides targeted advertising to companies as they access our personal interests from posts and likes hence, we are influenced to buy more. Convenient shopping provided on social networks also increase consumerism I the comfort getting goods delivered to you rather than going to a shop. In a bid to chase likes social media users tend to buy more to attract attention. People buy nice things, trending products, fancy and fine food and drinks. This is mostly influenced by the fictitious lives people share online. Come to think about it, it is rare to see someone post their deepest struggles and problems rather they only post the made up, unrealistic versions of themselves. This leads to people over spending in trying to achieve a certain idealized lifestyle believing they can attain it to. Lacking the spending power is also another source of depression
Social media has become part of our life and its impact on how we perceive ourselves should not be taken for granted. Having noted that social media is increasingly playing a dominant role in our lives and it is associated with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, we must be careful of how to manage its impact on us. It should not be taken for granted as a communication system rather scrutinized for its socialization role. Social media is more powerful than the main stream media when it comes to influencing behavior and reinforcing identities. In these regards more research is needed regarding social media. Another way to manage the impact of social media on mental health is to integrate social media lessons in social studies so that people become open minded to what is displayed on social media.
NUST JOURNAL-ZW 