How social media is increasing social media loneliness

https://pixabay.com/en/networks-personal-users-3017398/

In 2014, 19-year-old Madison Holleran committed suicide because of depression related to social media. This unfortunate instance shows how social media and social isolation are becoming closely interrelated. A recent study suggests that young adults who spend more time on social media may end up feeling more isolated in their daily life. Social isolation can be explained as a loss of social belonging, connection with others and fulfilling personal relationships. The reasons may be that social media distracts people from real life, facilitates superficial relationships and impacts self-image negatively.

Social network use distracts from real-life relationships

Social media transports young adults and teenagers from real life to a virtual world. It is the best possible way for them to escape from the hots and cold of their lives. It provides us to think that life is basically a joyful fascinating world but actually, it’s not. Social media and social isolation are alienating young people from their real lives. Life is a roller-coaster of happiness, joys, sorrows and a lot more. And we have to face it strongly in the best possible way.

A 2011 study by Kuss and Griffiths alerts to the risk of behavioural addiction to social media sites, which prevents young people from social community participation and increases social media loneliness. A study by emerging photo-sharing app, Flashgap, revealed that almost 80% of people under 30 miss social conversations due to a preoccupation with their online social network. Another 54% identified fear as the main factor for constantly checking their social media activity. People obsessed with social media become distracted even from very close relationships.

Social media promote superficial relationships

Social media is a bunch of correlated emotional relationships. Along with increased distraction and social media loneliness, social media facilitates superficial online relationships because of the convenience of forming and breaking them at will. People find it easy to add others on their network by the simple click of a button. According to Professor Paul Booth of DePaul University in Chicago, social media relationships are weaker than real-life friendships.

Moreover, people are less concerned about their knowledge of the people added to their online social network because they can control interactions through anonymity and privacy settings. Another study by the University of Arizona states that greater number of friends does not prevent people from feeling lonely and depressed. As a result, social media relationships are generally weaker than real-life relationships, and can often lead to negative self-images.

Negative self-image leads to social isolation

Social media and social isolation are emerging terms in social media research. Superficial relationships come with superficial expectations that lead to constant comparisons with online social network friends. This creates a negative self-image and increases jealousy. When people, especially young people, compare their social media content, including the following:

•         Status updates
•          Posts
•          Likes
•          Comments
•          Shares

they are likely to feel inferior to their peers who seem to have more exciting lives on social media. Social media content also affects those who are not necessarily the subject of those posts. They develop unrealistic expectations about their own lives, and social media loneliness when those expectations are not met. A study by Kaspersky Lab explains that 42% of the respondents experienced jealousy when the posts of their friends attracted more likes and shares. Another 58% reported feeling embarrassed when they are tagged in photos that reveal them in an unflattering appearance. Social media envy can eventually lead to depression and withdrawal from real life interactions.

The way forward

Social media is not something to be left unchecked. The case of Madison Holleran suggests that suicidal attempts due to social media loneliness may increase with more frequency if people continue to be manipulated by social media distraction, superficial relationships and negative self-images. In fact, social media could become a tool of building negative expectations and depression. Each one of us can regulate the hours of daily social media use, being more selective in accepting friend requests, and being more critical when evaluating others’ posts with our own. To start with, go to your social media account right now and start eliminating those whom you do not know or haven’t spoken with within the last year. Over time, you’ll develop your own strategy for responsible social media use.