I'll admit it right off the bat — I spend way too much time scrolling through social media. Some may say I have a slight obsession, which I can't disagree with. I find myself refreshing the same page every 10 minutes waiting for something new to pop up on my feed.
It's fun, though. I love seeing what my friends and family are up to, especially since many are in states very far away from me. Social media brings me closer to those that I can't see or check in with every day. I'm also able to see jokes and relatable content that can make me smile and laugh. I can get news and important information from stories posted across different social media. I get to see cute animals in both photos and videos. I can get fashion and makeup inspiration, even tutorials. Social media allows me to see the world and places I've yet to visit through the eyes of other travelers. There are so many aspects of social media that have been beneficial, entertaining, and interesting.
From this view, social media is great. If this was all it consisted of, I wouldn't have one complaint about social media. Unfortunately, there's much more than lay beneath this lighthearted, beautiful surface... and it can get pretty ugly.
Social media, unfortunately, has many bad sides that often cover up the positive benefits. Sometimes social media is just the worst, and frankly, it sucks. When you stumble into the world of obsession, comparison, jealousy, and FOMO (fear of missing out), it can get ugly quite fast. I often spend hours of my days sitting on my phone, waiting for the next thing to be posted, waiting to be caught up and in the know. It's almost compulsive — I won't go to bed until I've watched all my friends' Snapchat stories and scrolled through my whole Twitter timeline. I wake up in the middle of the night and feel the need to check my phone. I wake up in the morning and I immediately open up my phone and begin to browse.
And I know I'm not the only one who has found myself comparing every little thing about me to every little thing about that one Instagram influencer.
In a world full of retouch and Facetune, it really isn't fair to compare my body to a body that's a product of photoshop. But I can't help it, I constantly find myself thinking poorly of myself because I don't believe that I live up to the high standards that social media has created. I get jealous, too. Why can't I be on that vacation? Why can't I have that outfit? Why can't I go to that party? Why can't I have that car? That house? That LIFE? None of this jealousy is healthy, and I know that, but I can't help it. I love everything I have and I'm so thankful for the life and things I've been given, trust me. But sometimes, I can't help but get jealous over things others have that I don't.
And then there's FOMO, and I know we've all felt that before. It's often very tough to see pictures or videos of all your friends at a party that you couldn't attend- or even worse, a party that you weren't invited to. A football game, a school event, a restaurant outing, or someone as simple as a drive around town. All of these are things that are often displayed all over social media, and if you weren't able to go, you feel that pain. I've been there plenty of times and it can really hurt sometimes. But if it wasn't for social media, I wouldn't even have known what I was really missing out on.
I'm sure so many of you are aware of the negative effects of social media, but if you didn't know, I hope this enlightens you. It truly isn't all fun and games. Social media definitely has so many entertaining and beneficial aspects, but often the not-so-good things can really outweigh the positives. When you go on social media, be aware of the effects it may be having on your wellbeing. Remember that social media doesn't always display both sides of a situation or "real life." Try not to get obsessed and constantly refresh your phone to see insignificant headlines. Try not to compare yourself to every photoshopped Insta-model you see. Try not to get jealous of other peoples' belongings, which may not even be theirs. Try not to get upset over missing out on something that probably wasn't that fun anyway. Try to always be cautious with your use of social media. It may look lighthearted and pretty, but it can certainly get ugly.
