This post is featured on behalf of Jenna Brown.
Social media is quickly taking over the lives of many young people. They would rather spend time checking their social media to see if someone liked their post rather than having direct contact with someone in person. For this reason, it is important for young people to unplug from social media from time to time to ensure that they are able to have as fulfilling of a life in the future as they can.
The guide below walks you through a few reasons young people need to unplug from their electronics and take part in the real world every now and then.
1. Social media can make you less social in daily life.
There are many people who start to pull away from friends and family in their daily life because they are so caught up in what is going on in the lives of the people they are following on social media. There are many times when being able to edit a comment on social media is more appealing to some people than having an actual conversation because they cannot edit themselves before saying something to someone else.
2. Social media can lead to addictive behavior.
Many young people have come addicted to social media because they crave the attention that they get from people online. They feel compelled to see how many likes and shares they get on the posts that they share and cannot wait to like and share the posts of their friends on social media. This can cause someone to be on social media constantly for fear that they may miss something and lead to severe isolation and dependency.
There are some people who are addicted to social media who turn to alcohol and drugs to numb the pain that they feel when someone says something harsh about them online. Others who are addicted to social media turn to drugs to help them stay awake for extended periods of time so that they can keep up with everything that is happening on their different social media accounts. When a social media addiction is paired with a drug or alcohol addiction, it can be very difficult for the addict to realize that they have multiple problems they need to be addressed.
Drug and alcohol addiction can be battled at a facility like BLVD outpatient rehab in San Diego. The staff helps young adults realize that they have an addiction and learn how to value themselves without the approval of others or the use of drugs or alcohol. Learning how to avoid the triggers that cause them to seek the drugs or alcohol will help them learn how to avoid them in the future.
3. Social media can lead to depression.
Not getting enough social media attention is causing many young adults to start to feel depressed earlier in life. They value themselves based on what other people in social media think of them, which has caused many young adults to have a poor view of themselves.
Many people on social media do not filter what they say because they choose to hide behind the screens of their device and say horrible things to other people on social media. This can cause many people to feel a lot of anxiety and start to be more self-conscious about themselves based on the horrible things that people they do not even know say about them online.
Once a young person’s self-confidence is damaged, it can ruin their ability to be independent, stand up for themselves, or even fight for what their beliefs in the future. It is important for young people to be lifted up and taught to base their value on more than just the value they are given on social media.
To ensure that you are not overly engrossed in social media, try to limit the use of it as often as possible. For example, there are many families who choose to have computers, tablets, and phones left out of the bedroom when it is time for bed so that family members are not tempted to look at the devices at night or first thing in the morning when they wake up. You can also limit social media use during meals to connect with one another in a more personal way. While social media is great, the real world is even better.
This article is featured on behalf of Jenna Brown.