The Social Media Mirage and Navigating the Challenges of Mental Health in the Age of Influence of Digital Platforms

Few days back, I had an opportunity to participate in a panel discussion on very important subject along with diverse set of experts’ professionals like clinical psychologist and counselors. The topic was to discuss and exchange views on impact of social media, rising mental health and bipolar disorders.

My role was primarily from perspective of corporate professional and technologist involved in high technology, IT business and charitable organisation that works with younger generation in the age group of 22-35 years. This group is very active in social media and also very technology savvy using these platforms.

This post is the recap of summary of discussion, views and exchange of ideas from the panel

?In today's digital age, social media has woven itself into the very fabric of our lives, especially for the younger generation. Platforms like Instagram offer a seductive illusion of connection, validation, and popularity. However, beneath the glossy surface lies a darker reality: a virtual world that disconnects youngsters from the tangible experiences and relationships that truly matter.

The allure of social media, especially platforms like Instagram, has ensnared the minds of youngsters. They live and dream in the realm of posts, likes, and validations. Their world is a carefully curated feed, an echo chamber that only reflects what they want to see. This phenomenon is not just a fleeting trend but a pervasive issue that affects their mental health, relationships, and overall perception of reality.

The Illusion of Connection

Instagram, with its endless stream of perfectly curated images and videos, creates an illusion of connection. Youngsters believe that the likes, comments, and followers they accumulate translate into genuine friendships and social approval. However, these virtual interactions often lack the depth and authenticity of real-life relationships. Friends made and maintained through Instagram are usually superficial, leading to a fragile sense of belonging that shatter easily when online attention wanes or someone blocks or unfollows, reduced or someone not responding to their posts.

The Validation Trap

The quest for validation through social media is a dangerous game. Youngsters are increasingly measuring their self-worth by the number of likes, comments, and shares their posts receive. This constant need for approval, comparison, false beliefs foster a dependence on external validation, which can erode self-esteem and create anxiety. When a post doesn't perform as expected, it can lead to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. The irony is that this validation is often from people who do not play significant roles in their lives outside the virtual world and are not dependable and unpredictable or unstable.

The Mirage of Validation

The pursuit of likes and comments on Instagram has become a relentless chase for validation. Each post, each story, is crafted with the hope of gaining approval from an audience that, in reality, remains largely superficial. Youngsters derive their self-worth from these metrics, believing that the number of likes is a direct reflection of their value. This dependency on virtual applause creates a fragile sense of self-esteem that is easily shattered when a post doesn't perform as expected and soon the audience realise that this is fake, unreal and show off!.

The Disconnect from Reality

Relying on social media for validation leads to a significant disconnect from reality. Youngsters start to believe that their online persona is their true self, ignoring the multifaceted nature of human identity. They invest more in maintaining their online image than in developing genuine skills or nurturing real-life relationships. The constant comparison with the seemingly perfect lives of others on Instagram fuels feelings of inadequacy and depression, creating a distorted view of what life should be.

Addiction and Time Consumption

The addictive nature of social media cannot be overstated. Youngsters spend countless hours scrolling through feeds, posting updates, and checking notifications. This compulsive behavior eats into the time that could be spent on more productive and fulfilling activities, such as studying, pursuing hobbies, or spending quality time with family and friends. The digital addiction is designed to keep users engaged, but it often leads to a detrimental cycle of distraction and procrastination.

Strained and Erosion of Real-Life Relationships

One of the most concerning aspects of social media addiction is its impact on real-life relationships. As youngsters invest more time and emotional energy into their online personas, their connections with family and friends suffer. Important conversations are interrupted by the constant need to check updates, and genuine interactions are replaced by superficial exchanges. This digital preoccupation can strain relationships, leading to feelings of neglect and misunderstanding among loved ones.

As youngsters spend more time online, their real-life relationships suffer. The habit of checking updates, likes, and posts becomes an addiction, pulling them away from meaningful interactions with family and friends. Conversations are interrupted by the compulsive need to check notifications, and moments that could be spent bonding are lost to scrolling through endless feeds. This strain on relationships leads to a sense of isolation, even when surrounded by loved ones.

The Pitfall of Perceived Friendship

On Instagram, friendships are often reduced to digital interactions—liking, commenting, and sharing posts. Youngsters may believe that these online friends are the ones who matter most, but this perception is dangerously misleading. True friendship requires more than just virtual interaction; it demands time, effort, and emotional investment. The illusion of having many friends online can mask the reality of having few genuine connections in real life.

The Illusion of Social Media: A Call for Youngsters to Embrace Reality

To counteract the pervasive influence of Instagram and similar platforms, youngsters must be encouraged to reconnect with the real world. Here are a few steps to reclaim a more authentic and fulfilling life:

It's crucial for youngsters to break free from the shackles of social media validation and reconnect with the real world. Here are some steps to take:

1. Limit Screen Time: Set specific times for checking social media and stick to them. Use apps that track and limit screen time to help manage this habit. Set aside specific times of the day to disconnect from social media. Use this time to engage in real-world activities that bring joy and fulfillment.
2. Prioritize Real Relationships: Make a conscious effort to spend quality time with family and friends. Engage in activities that foster genuine connections, such as having face-to-face conversations, participating in group activities, and enjoying shared experiences.
3. Pursue Real Passions: Invest time in hobbies and interests that don't involve screens. Whether it's sports, reading, or learning a new skill, find activities that provide fulfillment and a sense of achievement.
4. Practice Mindfulness: Stay present in the moment. Engage in mindfulness practices such as meditation, which can help reduce the compulsive need to check social media and improve overall mental well-being. Be conscious of the time spent on social media. Use it purposefully, rather than as a default activity during moments of boredom.
5. Seek Professional Help if Needed: If social media addiction is causing significant distress or impacting daily life, consider seeking help from a mental health professional.
6. Self-Worth: Cultivate self-esteem through personal achievements and self-reflection, rather than seeking external validation from social media.
7. Balance: Strive for a balanced life where social media is just one aspect, not the center of existence.

Rising bipolar disorder cases, symptoms and treatments

In corporate and in personal areas, their lives are affected and influenced by more of external social media influences and online friends. There are also rising cases of cybercrimes, cheating and false relationship that gets sour quickly as they do not stand on long term commitments. Many youths suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or psychotic symptoms such as unreasonable suspicion or fear of persecution. The causes of these could be a combination of factors like family environment of strict control strong family, history of bipolar disorder in family, genetic vulnerability, biological changes, environmental and life stressors. These may be also due to family conflicts, work pressure, peer competition, failed relationship and friendship or marriage. This is often seen as manifested in late adolescence or early adulthood.

On such issue that is becoming mental health condition is bipolar disorder.

It is a disorder of two extreme moods (two poles – low and high). It’s characterised by extreme emotional instability and mood swings that include emotional highs known as mania and emotional lows?called depression. The impacted person feels euphoric, energetic, or unusually irritable. During depressive incidences, they feel?sadness and hopelessness and lose interest in most activities. This results in highly unpredictable behaviour. They demonstrate symptoms of attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), substance-related mood issues, and the like. Sometimes these are also due to alcohol and drugs like cannabis and cocaine that can play a part in mad behaviour, eccentricity triggering depressive moods showing signs of bipolarity.

This can be confused with?other medical conditions that might be presents with the symptoms of bipolar disorder.

What are the distinctive features and characteristics of bipolarity in persons?

One side of polarity:

1. Mood changes that include irritable mania and depression.
2. Decreased or disturbed sleep
3. Thinking larger than life and unreal expectations
4. Inflated self-esteem, overconfidence, increased energy, and activity levels
5. Knee jerk reactions, rapid speech and racing thoughts, quick distractibility, impulsive and risky behaviours
6. Habits of increasing spending sprees
7. Unprotected or out of marriage sexual acts
8. Loss of inhibition, loneliness and sometimes loss of contact with reality and family members

Other side of polarity:

1. A depressive mood of persistent sadness, loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities
2. Not able to focus or concentrate on any activity
3. Loss of energy, lethargic, sudden changes in appetite and weight
4. Guilt feeling, worthlessness, hopelessness and thoughts and behaviour suggesting self-harm and even suicide.

?The irony is that the person never admits or agree that he/she is having these problems or they start depending on google, YouTube and social media for self-diagnosis. This in real sense need to be consulted and reported to a professional for diagnosis. Even the family members or the organisations are confused and cannot determine the reasons. This is reflected both in personal and professional life thereby affecting one’s day-to-day functioning

Right Professionals can use different psychological tests for any diagnostic and future treatment either medical or counselling sessions.

There is a need to spread awareness, evaluate and know symptoms and also various treatment options else it may create serious problems in today’s youth. Many youngsters who are suffering from bipolar disorder can achieve periods of stability and symptom remission with proper treatment but there is no cure for bipolar disorder in the sense of complete and permanent elimination of symptoms.

What are the possible treatments options? -

1. This may include medications like mood stabilisers, antipsychotics and antidepressants
2. Psychotherapy like cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT)
3. Family therapy to help individuals and their related families understand and manage the symptoms effectively
4. ?Lifestyle changes like regular exercise, a healthy diet, sufficient sleep and distance from drugs and alcohol.
5. Stress management techniques, meditation and yoga.
6. Emotional assistance and encouragement from family.
7. Hospitalisation for individuals who are at risk of harming themselves or others or for those who require intensive monitoring and treatment. ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) is used for severe cases of mania and severe/suicidal depression

Conclusion

In conclusion, while Instagram and other social media platforms offer a convenient way to connect and share, they also pose significant risks to the mental and emotional well-being of youngsters. By recognizing the pitfalls of the social media mirage and making conscious efforts to live in the real world, youngsters can foster more meaningful relationships and lead happier life and save themselves from bipolar disorder issues.

The seductive world of Instagram and other social media platforms may offer temporary gratification, but it comes at a high cost. Youngsters must recognize the dangers of living for likes and validations and choose to embrace the richness of the real world. By fostering genuine relationships, pursuing meaningful passions, and staying grounded in reality, they can lead more fulfilling and authentic lives. Let's encourage our youth to step out of the virtual shadows and into the vibrant light of true existence.

#DigitalDetox #RealConnections #MentalHealth #SocialMediaAwareness #LiveInTheMoment #AuthenticLife? #DisconnectToReconnect #HealthyLiving #Mindfulness #RealWorldOverVirtual

#YouthAwareness #BalancedLife #MentalHealthAwareness #BipolarDisorde #MentalHealthAdvocacy

#Psychotherapy #YoungAdults