Just a couple of months ago one of the researches suggested that reserve people are more addicted to social networking sites than the ones who post comments and update statuses. These people are said to be prone to stress and mild depression, which leads to other sickness in the long run. And people who use social networking sites more are comparatively susceptible to certain sicknesses than others who don’t use them.
Despite the popularity of social media in recent years, research regarding its impact on human health is still in its infancy. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any effects. Perhaps, most of us might not take the minute risk factors lying in the relationship between the sickness, health condition and social media too seriously. However, findings thus far would mildly surprise you.
Social Media And Its Impact On Health
It was back in 1971 when the world first saw the email and here after 40 years, the refined and more versatile version of the same — social media, has arrived at our doorstep providing us with mesmerizing contents, esp. edutainment, infotainment and better medium of communication (some feel that way, which is a wrong notion). However, everything has its own bag of perils. In the case of social media, the peril is its negative effect on physical and mental health of an individual.
Social Media And Metal Health
To most of the users, sharing or commenting or even posting an image on Facebook or Twitter could seem harmless, but some researchers suggest social media may affect our mental health and well-being. Back in 2012, one of the studies suggesting that Facebook use may feed anxiety and increase a person’s feeling of inadequacy.
One of the experts on the subject assuredly said, “On the surface, Facebook provides an invaluable resource for fulfilling the basic human need for social connection, but rather than enhance well-being, we found that Facebook use predicts the opposite result – it undermines it.”
In a more recent study, conducted by Dr. Rauch and colleagues, the team found that social interaction on social media sites, specifically Facebook, may have a negative impact on face-to-face encounters for individuals who already have high levels of anxiety.
Getting Glued To Computer: Effects
Apart from the psychological changes and impacts that social networking initiates, for the good or bad, it surely does have a potential to get you sick physically. Sitting long hours on computer can be a huge health risk. One of the researches conducted by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, reported that almost 80% of us spend three or more hours sitting during our leisure time, in office, in car and during meal times and these acts the researchers say can have a long term effects on health like obesity, heart problems, depression and diabetes.
You can take steps to ensure you’re moving as often as possible throughout the day. “Set an alarm on your computer to remind you to get up and get moving every 30 minutes. Get a drink of water or go for a short walk around the block,” says Van Hoof.
Latest statistics also show that sitting in front of the computer for long stretches in a day causes poor posture, eye strain, poor circulation, and causes individuals to eat way too much, severely affecting one’s health. These could possibly lead to sleep deprivation, headache, dehydration, dark circles and much more.
Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter are also considered to make their users self-obsessed.
However, most of the psychologists take the side of social media when it comes to one’s health. Yes, it is true that social media has plethora of positive impact on human lives, but in terms of health, these are the few loopholes.
Also, if addiction is a problem, social media is not considered addictive in itself, but individuals who are susceptible to it gets effected by it more, both negatively and positively. Thus, keeping your engagement on social media in moderation is the only solution for sure.
