It seems that the more technology we acquire, the more stressed out we become. According to the experts, almost 20% of people with social media accounts cannot go more than three hours without checking them. So, what is social media anxiety disorder?
No matter what you did today on your phone or computer, it’s likely that social media was involved.
Did you catch up with friends on Facebook, post photos of your dog on Instagram? Maybe a Twitter link brought you here.
Studies have linked this with poor sleep, poor self-esteem, and potentially poor mental health.
A new study concludes that there is in fact a causal link between the use of social media and negative effects on well-being, primarily depression and loneliness. The study was published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology.
“What we found overall is that if you use less social media, you are actually less depressed and less lonely, meaning that the decreased social media use is what causes that qualitative shift in your well-being” researchers concluded
Most people who have social media accounts do not get nervous or stressed out when they are not able to check their notifications every five minutes. However, for those who have social media anxiety disorder, just being away from their Facebook or Twitter account for a few minutes can cause severe anxiety. Here are some of the most common symptoms of social media anxiety disorder:
- Interrupting conversations to check your social media accounts
- Lying to others about how much time you spend on social media
- Withdrawal from friends and family
- Trying to stop or reduce your use of social media more than once before without being successful
- Loss of interest in other activities
- Neglecting work or school to comment on Facebook or Twitter account
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you are not able to access social media
- Spending over six hours per day on social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram
- Overwhelming need to share things with others on social media sites
- Having your phone with you 24 hours a day to check your social media sites
- Using social media more often than you planned
- Severe nervousness or anxiety when you are not able to check your notifications
- Negative impacts in your personal or professional life due to social media usage
Overall,about 30% of those who use social media spend more than 15 hours per week online.
This can greatly reduce your ability to enjoy real life. It can also cost you relationships, jobs, and an education if you spend too much time online.
Sometimes I hate social media. Because I have to be the bigger person ALL the time. When in reality, I want to pop off, I want to spill the tea, I want to speak the truth about by past, I want to expose everyone. But…. I’m better than that. Even though I don’t want to be.— Jaclyn Hill (@Jaclynhill) April 2, 2019
If you are spending several hours a day on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, you are not going to have enough time to work, study, or spend time with loved ones.
You may have social media anxiety disorder and it can also affect your health, both physically and mentally.