The Internet continues to make our life easier every day. Whether it is instant connectivity with your loved ones via Social Media or the facility to search for anything on Google. All you need is a dependable connection like Spectrum One Plan or some other ISP and a smartphone. However, there are some negative effects of the internet as well.  

For instance, the internet can be addictive and disrupt other areas of life. Also, excessive usage has been found to cause a plethora of mental health and well-being issues. Therefore, it is important to use the web responsibly. Read on to know the effects of the internet in this blog.  

FOMO or Fear of Missing Out  

One of the major issues with excessive usage of Social media is FOMO. The problem with the fear of missing out is that it gives rise to more internet usage in an individual. For example, some people check their social media every few hours or even every few minutes, so they don’t miss out on anything important. Objectively, a particular piece of news may not be even important. But to them, it is.  

Often celebrities start warming their audience for some upcoming piece of content. The audience, mostly young people, then follows every day for updates on their posts or social media stories. Similarly, fandom of different shows tries their level best to be the first ones to watch the new episode. Even though the show is going to be on the platform and available to access usually for a long time. Many say that they do this to save themselves from spoilers. However, the FOMO behavior can cause an individual a lot of anxiety and stress which is not healthy for anyone.  

Feeling Inadequate About One’s Life

Social media does not reflect real life. At least, on most of the accounts. It is because people post stuff that will probably get them likes. The photos they upload can be manipulated with editing software to appear perfect. Also, a lot of people lie on social media to project an image of their perfect life. What it does to people is it create a feeling of adequacy. People may become insecure about their lives by comparing theirs’ with others. Such insecurities could be with their looks, financial status, and other things about them.  

It is a common problem that leads to dissatisfaction because of comparison. Therefore, it is something people should be aware of and use social media as a source of entertainment alone. Practicing gratitude can help an individual overcome feelings of inadequacy and create a positive outlook on life.  

Loneliness and Isolation

During the lockdown, social media played a positive role in keeping people connected. But connecting on social media cannot replace the feeling of meeting your loved ones in person. Today, most interactions are replaced by social media. Sending emojis or love reactions to the posts of your friends is not equivalent to the feeling of actually meeting them. Limiting your interactions to social media creates feelings of loneliness and isolation.  

It is highly advisable to catch up with your friends, visit your parents, or plan non-digital activities that make you happy.  

Improper Sleep Because of Technology

Proper sleep recharges a person for the next day. But sleeping late at night and spending time on your mobile phone until late disturbs your sleep. The blue light from screens blocks the secretion of Melatonin which is a sleep-inducing hormone. Often people complain about not being able to sleep after just putting their phone aside. When they cannot sleep even after trying, many pick it up again which further impacts their sleep.  

Besides the effect of blue light on sleep, your smart devices also affect the quality of sleep. Many people sleep with their phones at their side. Notification bells, unexpected emails, or calls can affect your quality of sleep. It is a potential reason why a lot of people wake up tired.

What they should do instead is to turn off data or Wi-Fi on their phones before they sleep. Also, putting your phone somewhere away from the bed is advisable. This way an individual can get a much better quality of sleep.  

Conclusion

These are just a few examples of how the internet, smartphones, and social media affect an individual’s mental health and different areas of life. In most cases, adjusting your habits and healthy usage can prevent many problems. Yet, if these problems affect your overall well-being get a counselor’s help. With balanced usage and an understanding of the pros and cons, individuals can leverage the technology to their benefit.  

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