Social Media and The Society

With the advancement in technology, the movement of people and information is such that speed and connectivity are some of the crucial tenets that people pay attention to. The interaction of individuals has taken on a global perspective where people from different parts of the world can communicate and interact in real-time. While it has largely influenced how people conduct themselves socially, social media has presented vast opportunities for people by giving them a broad audience to showcase their material. Be that as it may, social media is also detrimental in the health and well being of its users. This essay draws attention to the effects of social media on society and the mental health of people. Additionally, it will argue for social media and highlight its overall benefits amid the social and health challenges it poses by submitting on how to improve social media interaction best to appeal to the health and well being of its users.

The creation and sharing of information is the hallmark of globalization. The speed at which information and data are shared across the globe is fast and instant. Through social media, the definition and use of web-based interfaces have transformed in the last couple of years. While the first machines were bulky and consumed a lot of energy and space, current devices are much smaller and consume less power. The devices are also portable to suit the desires and needs of the costumers. The improved size and design are geared towards facilitating fast and smooth interaction of people over the Internet. Social media provides a platform where people can create profiles they deem appropriate and suiting as they interact with others with similar patterns. As such, social media has created a virtual world of endless possibilities (Obar and Wildman, 2015).

      The virtual reality created by social media is having negative implications on the health and well being of the users and those around them. It has created a new reality where access to social media and gadgets is used as a measure of identity. The fascination with owning mobile devices, belonging to specific groups, the urge for public gratification has made users engage in competition detrimental to their well being. Disparities between users are such that the socialization process has transformed where people are more concerned with making the right friends better their popularity in social media. On the other hand, individuals who do not belong to such circles are ignored. Those interested in upgrading their social status then spend money acquiring the relevant tools for social media. The inequalities created by social media have led to an increase in cases of mental health and esteem issues among youth and adolescents. The need to belong and fit in is much higher in this group than in others, and the disparities existing are based on access to social media (Stefanone et al., 2011). Those who do not have access to social media are looked down upon and considered outcasts by their peers.

Increased use and exposure to social media is linked to mental health issues such as depression. The Internet connects people from all over the world, and all of these people have opinions and beliefs that are shaped and influenced by where they come from. As such, people have perspectives unique to them. While some have extreme approaches to life, others are quite moderate in how they conduct themselves. Social media brings these people together, and in most cases, some of the interaction is personal and can get heated. Harassment that happens over the Internet has been noted to lead victims and the perpetrators to depression, and since most of it happens behind the screen, it becomes hard to control what other people share or post (Peebles, 2014).

Social media addiction and prolonged exposure to social media affect the lives of the users by altering their behavior and patterns in society. As people dedicate more of their time to social media, they do so at the expense of other essential aspects of culture. Prolonged exposure leads to disparity in sleeping patterns, mood and eating disorders, self-esteem, and anxiety, which has lasting impressions on the mental and physical integrity of the users and those around them. Additionally, such individuals are at increased risk of burnouts as they spend more time on one activity and neglect other activities that are critical to their health and wellbeing (Han, 2016). The emotional turmoil they go through can sink users into worse health conditions.

According to Sheldon et al. (2019), the adverse effects of social media can be mitigated. While pointing out the harmful effects of social media on the health of its users, they highlight that these conditions can be solved given the critical role social media plays in society. An approach is to have discipline when using social media to develop constraint behaviors. Social media addiction comes about when people spend more time on their devices as opposed to other activities. It is essential to create time-specific for social media so that it does not come in the way of other activities. People can resort to catching up on what is happening around them in specific situations such as waiting in queues while using public transport. This ensures that they regulate the amount of time spend on social media, thus safeguarding their health and wellbeing.

Due to its ability to connect people from various parts of the world, social media is useful in providing space and avenues for people to interact and support each other. One of the effects of mental health is the stigma attached to it, and it makes patients shy away from getting much-needed help. Through social media, people can interact with others who have mental health issues and offer support for each other (Fergie et al. 2016). User-generated information is essential in providing much-needed space for patients. From these interactions, people get to share their experiences and provide relevant information regarding health care providers, the cost of medication, and alternative practices beneficial to them. Additionally, these interactions go beyond social media so that people can have physical meetings to offer more support.

Healthcare providers, in their interactions with patients and other treatment procedures, effectively use social media as a tool for communication. Social media has worked to bridge the gap between medical practitioners and their patients, where they can interact regularly. Whereas there are risks associated with social media, the strategy tools are essential in ensuring that their patients get the best of care. Access to information is critical in the medical field, and consultation is hardly enough to cover the broad scope of data relevant to the area. Patients must get information concerning their ailments so that they can break away from the stereotypes associated with certain illnesses. Through social media, medical practitioners are best placed to offer information to their patients and the general public in ways that are accurate and relevant (Sultan et al., 2019).

Social media is a source of significant data owing to the interaction between people who aid in the creation and sharing of information. As such, social media offers a database from different areas. With this data, the health sector can further research on the validity of claims made online and come up with accurate conclusions essential in the medical profession. Additionally, policy behaviors formulated regarding social media and mental health are informed from the online patterns of the end-users under question. Through this, it is easy to mitigate the adverse effects of social media by using it as an advocate of change. Dealing with the issue of mental health requires adequate data on the same, and social media allows for the creation and sharing of such data (Conway and O’Connor, 2016). Social media provides an avenue through which social issues can be addressed adequately and initiate much-needed care to scores of people in need.

Social media is used to connect healthcare providers who deal with mental health to a broad audience in manners where the chains of stigma are broken. The developments in social media are such that people can take part in activities that promote specific behavior. Through the use of hashtags, critical conversations are held in society as a show of support and solidarity. The evolution in the modes of data creation and sharing is such that different sectors in the community can comfortably interact with passing information to a broad audience (Krausz, 2017). High levels of ignorance and lack of relevant education hamper mental health services. As such, the information people have is based on societal stereotypes and stigma that provide attacking data. By making use of the platforms created by social media, medial practitioners can educate the masses and break myths and misinformation people have when it comes to mental health. Moreover, they can generate hashtags useful to their course, thus ensuring the information created reaches its intended audience.

Social media presents significant opportunities for stakeholders in their quest to maintain and improve the health of individuals. The speed at which the world is innovating points towards greater cohesion and interaction in different sectors. The success of social media in other areas is proof that when utilized correctly, social media can be directed to significant progress in health matters. Relevant stakeholders ought to research how others have managed to make social media work for them. That information, when acted upon, will highlight the importance of social media in society.

Finally, the role of social media in society is crucial in that it stretches all through to members of the community. It is an essential tool in addressing globalization in that it provides a platform for people to interact and share information at a fast rate. While it presents challenges, these challenges provide opportunities for mitigation processes. The health implication of social media is brought about by unhealthy online practices where users lack self-control. Nonetheless, while these health issues are adverse, they are not permanent and can be reversed. It is essential to address the underlying factors that lead people to such extreme behaviors. People should learn the differences and unique traits that exist among members of the community. These differences are critical in all interactions, both online and offline. Understanding the existence of such variation is instrumental in dealing with esteem issues arising from online content.

Additionally, administrators need also to verify the content posted and shared in their sites. The use of verification protocols and structures sieves out the unwanted from the wanted. Those found to violate these guidelines need to pay stiff penalties or have their sites blacklisted or shut down altogether. Social media is beneficial to society, and the challenges it meets can be mitigated. References

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Han, Bo (2016). Social Media Burnout: Definition, Measurement Instrument, and Why     We Care. Journal of Computer Information Systems. 58 (2) pp1–9.

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Peebles, Erin. (2014). Cyberbullying: Hiding behind the screen. Paediatrics & Child          Health. 19 (10), pp527–528

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