In today's society, almost everyone you meet has some form of social media. Whether it be Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook and more. When meeting others and becoming close, exchanging social media accounts is very common. If you do not have social media, it is almost unheard of or considered out of the ordinary nowadays. These outlets for “being social” have become an addiction, causing people to be glued to their devices awaiting notifications and most importantly taking them away from authentic and genuine relationships with others. In my opinion, social media is replacing face-to-face relationships with on-screen life. Social media and mass media outlets can consume and harm your daily life if allowed to dominate.
People are checking their cellular devices every second of every day and are not fully aware of their surroundings, being present with the people in their life; cell phones along with other technological devices have taken over our world. While technology has made a large impact on society and comes with a variety of positives there are also negatives that come with it as well. We are so consumed with what is going on in others' lives, how many likes, comments, texts messages, or snaps we receive that we often take for granted all the people and beauty that is around us. Especially in my generation, Gen Z, I have noticed how obsessive we have become with our phones. It can seriously take a toll on our well-being and healthy relationships with others. I have found that when I take a step back from my device and am living in the present moment, I find myself much happier and rid of anxiety and stress.
For example, recently I did a social media detox from Instagram, Twitter and Tik Tok. While doing this detox, it made me much more socially and mentally aware of what was going on in my environment around me, who I was with and made me more mindful and live in the present moment. Although at times I felt like I was missing out on what was going on and not aware of the latest video or “trend,” I felt that stress and worry were lifted off my shoulders and a large sense of freedom. By not having these social media platforms, constantly wasting my time mindlessly scrolling when I could be more productive and truly live my life.
Oftentimes the media can give away this image that others lives or the world is “perfect” or that our friends and acquaintances are “living their best life.” This can make anyone feel as though they are not. In reality, the media is just a blip on a timeline or as a lot refer to it, a “highlight reel” which is the honest truth. Social media leads to many teenagers feeling excluded leading to a fear of missing out, not meeting societal standards, not being pretty, smart, as accomplished or good enough in relation to their peers. This can lead to an increase in mental health issues such as low self esteem, confidence, depression and anxiety as well as eating disorders and more. All of which are very serious and should be discussed in a healthy manner. Over the years social media has been a positive space for many people especially influencers, YouTubers, celebrities and an outlet for people to express themselves and find community. However, I believe social media has caused a much more negative impact on the younger generations self-esteem, specifically Gen Z.
I find that as a society we get so caught up in social media, how our pictures look, what filters we are going to use, how many likes we get and the idea that we have to always be posting, doing something or showing others that we are “living our best lives.” When in reality, this is not always the case. Social media is just a glimpse into someone’s life, a snapshot from a moment in time and does not show the deep and personal struggles, failures and hardships we all endure.
Communication is something that can be implemented in many ways, such as face to face conversation, texting, phone calls, Facetime, emails etc. When it comes to social media, these outlets can hinder communication skills. Technology enables people to miscommunicate how you feel and misinterpret what other people mean. Oftentimes, people hide behind social media as a way of avoiding communication and dealing with real life situations and perception can get misread. Messages can easily be misinterpreted, misunderstood and blown out of proportion. People often use media as a way of escaping real life conversations, conflict and experiences. Gen Z, has become prone to texting, subtweeting, talking to strangers, caring about the amount of followers, likes and comments, putting personal information out to the world instead of having face to face communication, proper manners and etiquette.
As a society, our first instinct is to grab our phone and keep up with the latest trends. We hide behind a screen and take refuge in our technological devices. It has become so extreme it can now be referred to as an obsession and addiction. By deleting apps from our devices, specifically social media, it takes away the urge to constantly check on our friends, family, people we have not seen in a while and helps us not get sucked into the downward negative spiral social media can have on our psychological well-being. This is a great way to find out who truly cares and genuinely wants to spend quality time with you versus a snap streak or keeping the relationship completely online.
For me, choosing to take away any form of media is a very healthy and positive choice to make and brings much more happiness and peace to my life. I am so glad I decided to do this and will continue to do media detoxes from certain apps in the future. In my opinion, the longer the better and the outcome will be more favorable. They say it takes 21 days to form a habit. I would highly recommend it to loved ones and friends. Detoxing from social media allows a much more positive, healthy and mindful lifestyle.
Now don’t get me wrong, technology is a brilliant way to communicate, do research and meet others. However, the negative impact it can have has increased over the years. Relationships are harder now because conversations become texting, arguments become phone calls, and feelings become status updates. Hopefully as research and its findings become more known, people will be able to make the changes once again and engage in ways that build authentic connection!
In my opinion, various forms of media have taken away from genuine, authentic and real relationships that bring happiness and positivity. Social media has the ability to hinder communication and leads to negative effects not only on one's self but others within their environment. You could be an advocate for social media awareness through education about the effects and consequences of using various types of social media. Positive change can occur and have lasting influence not only on this generation but on the ones to come!
I want to challenge everyone to do a social media detox and see how it impacts your daily life and routine. How can we be intentional about how we use our time? Read a book. Take up a hobby. Go on a walk. Talk to a friend. There are countless alternatives! Be present with friends and family and live a happier and healthier life!