Excessive Use of Social Media and The Internet Is Detrimental on One's Emotional, Physical, and Mental Health

The Internet and social media have become a vital aspect in today’s society. Millions of people are connected every day just through the click of a button. Though much of the research is still incomplete, it has been found that the overuse of the Internet is having a negative impact on its users overall health. Though with moderation the Internet can be beneficial, more people than ever are overusing the Internet, causing various negative effects to many of its users.

The Continuously Growing Use of Social Media is Having A Negative Affect on Its Users Mental Health

According to this study, people that heavily use the Internet and social media sites tend to have more feelings of depression and loneliness. Viewing others’ profiles on social media gives many users the impression that other people are happier than he or she is, causing many to feel left out and unsatisfied with his or herself. Often, this can manifest into depression. Besides this, the excessive use of social media can increase stress levels. The Internet allows its users to be constantly connected and when taken away, many feel anxious and stressed. As illustrated in this graph, according to a study done by the Kaiser Family Foundation in January of 2010, heavy Internet users are much more likely to feel sad than moderate or light internet users.              

Society’s Overuse of the Internet is Negatively Affecting Physical Health Too

According to this article, when something interesting is found on the Internet, reward pathways are lighting up in the brain and users can become in danger of becoming addicted. As stated by Hilarie Cash who runs a center for Internet and video game addiction, “The hit-and-miss nature of the Internet — with some websites being interesting, while many are not — may make it an especially seductive medium. [There is a] little bit of chemical excitement that occurs in the brain when something of interest pops up on the computer screen…you never know what you’re going to get.” This is much like the nature of slot machines and why the Internet can be just as addicting.

It Is Clear That Social Media Impacts Users Emotionally and Physically, But Many Are Still Skeptical on Whether or Not It Is Considered a Mental Illness

Though many of the same reward pathways that occur during gambling light up when positive rewards pop up on the computer screen, many still do not classify Internet addiction as a mental illness. According to Dr. Dylan Selterman who has a Ph.D in Social/Physical Psychology and is a Psychology professor at the University of Maryland, excessive Internet use can be debilitating on all aspects of life, but it is one of the many pleasures in life that is not yet considered a mental illness when used in excess. 

Social Media and The Internet is Even Affecting Its Users' Intellectual Capabilities

The more people use the Internet, the harder it will be for that user to remember vital information that they have obtained throughout the day. The flood of competing messages that excessive internet usage causes interferes with the physical mechanics of the brain that move information into long-term memory. When so many messages are being charged into the brain at once, it makes it hard to completely and fully process everything. Downtime allows for the brain to go over experiences it has had all day and then solidify them. When the brain is constantly stimulated because of something such as the Internet or social media, the user prevents this from happening.

Internet Use is Connected to Shorter Attention Spans, too.

The Internet and social media sites are fast paced places. Millions of pieces of information are thrown at a person at once. With many different forms of smart phones, tablets, and laptops along with thousands of application readily available by the touch of the finger, using the Internet can be a distracting thing. According to Nicholas Carr, a critically acclaimed author, “The Internet speaks to the parts of our brain that are attracted to movement, visual imagery and novelty—primitive parts of the brain that do not lend themselves to deep thought and contemplation.” Social media and the Internet take away our ability to think deep thoughts and because of this it is much easier to become distracted, causing many Americans to have shorter attention spans.
 

With The Combination of Many Intellectual Capabilities Being Impacted, Students’ Grades Are Declining

Because so much more information is being flooded into Internet users’ brain, causing their long-term memory to be impacted, along with millions of more distractions, many students' grades are declining because they are unable to solidify the information learned at school. According to the same study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, it is more likely for a moderate or light Internet user to get good grades that a heavy internet user.   

Excessive Amount of Internet Use Also Takes Away the Possibility of Human Interaction

It seems as though in this day in age, everything has been switched from human interaction, to online. People are online dating, businesses are conducting meetings online, and many tend to talk over text or Facebook chat instead of communicating in person. Because of this, younger adults are not developing the necessary face-to face human contact skills that are still important in today’s society. Though throughout the past decade many tasks have been transformed onto the Internet, much still has not. A task such as an interview if typically conducted in person. Because many of the excessive Internet users are not developing the typical communication skills, their ability to perform these vital life skills have completely diminished, negatively impacting a large aspect of their life.

Though Excessive Internet Use Does Definitely Have its Negative Effects, There Are Still Some Benefits to Social Media

Many feel a sense of comfort when using social media. According to Dr. Selterman, though much of the research is inconclusive about the benefits of social media, many times it can be used as a means to stay in contact with people that they otherwise would not had there not been any other means of communication. It allows for people to maintain social ties, share pictures, and keep many people updated about their lives. What is important to realize is that the people that are obtaining the benefits from the Internet and social media are using it in moderation. They do not overuse social media and they find time to maintain face-to-face relationships, too. The Internet can be a wonderful thing if it is used correctly.  

Regardless of the Many Benefits and Costs, The Effect of Social Media is Thought to be Age Independent

It is clear that technology is impacting society greatly and is growing in popularity each day. With this being said, it is definitely something that has become much more widely used within the younger generations because it is something that has always been present. Regardless, according to Dr. Selterman, the effect of social media and technology can have the exact same effect on adults as it can on college students and even children. Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are growing in popularity with older generations and because of this it is just as possible for this generation to face the same addicting impacts.

It Is Even Thought That Social Media Profiles Are Differentiated By Types of Self-Esteem

Other studies have been conducted besides how social media affects self esteem such as how social media profiles reflect self-esteem. According to this study, typically those with lower self-esteem care about what others post about them on Facebook. They want to portray the best image possible and in order to do this they might remove posts by others in order to maintain the best image of themselves to others. On the other hand, users with higher self-esteem focus more on their own posts and how they can make their own profile look good.

In The End, Much of The Effects of Social Media Are Known And Research Will Continue to Be Conducted
Overall, it is clear that social media and the Internet play a large role in every day life. When used in excess, it can cause great damage on the user physically, mentally, and emotionally and college students should be weary of the harms. Of course, if used in moderation there are many benefits such as keeping in contact with others and as a means of support. It is clear that studies have shown as much as how different profiles portray different types of self-esteem and even if the effects are age dependent. With new technology created each day, more and more conclusive research will be conducted too.