Today is Global Day of Unplugging – a day devoted to taking time away from technology and instead pursuing offline activities. The movement is dedicated to elevating human connection over digital engagement, which can seem challenging. Social media has infiltrated almost every aspect of modern life, from staying in touch with loved ones to shopping. On average, people in the EU and UK spend around one hour and 48 minutes per day on social media1, with 70% of people in the UK using social media daily2. While it is a tool to connect us with the world, prolonged social media use can negatively impact our mental health.
What is social anxiety?
Social anxiety disorder, or social phobia, is an anxiety disorder characterised by intense and overwhelming feelings of distress or worry about social situations. It is a long-term condition and can have a significant impact on your ability to participate in everyday activities, relationships, and work or school life.
While it is common to have some anxiety about a social situation such as public speaking, someone living with social anxiety may feel overly worried before, during, and after a social interaction. Other symptoms of social anxiety include:
- Worrying about everyday activities like meeting strangers, phone calls, or working
- Avoiding or worrying excessively about social activities like group conversations, parties, and eating in public
- Constantly worrying about doing something you feel is embarrassing like blushing or appearing incapable
- Struggling to do things when others are watching due to fear of judgement
- Fear of criticism
- Low self-esteem
- Avoiding eye contact
- Panic attacks
- Physical symptoms such as nausea, sweating, trembling, or heart palpitations3.
How does social media affect mental health?
Frequent social media use is associated with feeling more stressed, anxious, and depressed4. When you do not receive the attention or validation you want from social media (likes or comments), it can leave you disappointed and can be debilitating to self-esteem4.
Additionally, it’s often referred to as a ‘highlight reel’, only showcasing the best or most interesting parts of someone’s life. Comparing ourselves with someone else’s best moments can lead to increased dissatisfaction with day-to-day life. Feeling like others are living better, more successful lives or are having more fun can impact self-esteem and trigger feelings of anxiousness5.
Social media is designed to activate the brain’s reward system. When we see a post with lots of likes, shares, or comments, or receive those interactions ourselves, the brain releases a surge of dopamine, a chemical that makes us feel good6. The feeling of pleasure when using social media can cause addictive behaviours, as over time you may need to increase your usage to maintain these feelings. This can be isolating and may cause you to neglect things like studying, sleeping, or even spending time with loved ones7.
Reducing the negative impact of social media
It can be difficult to cut back on social media usage, but there are ways to improve your relationship with your device without giving it up altogether. Here are some tips to decrease your screen time:
1. Set time limits
There are settings in your phone that allow you to set time limits on app usage. Putting these limits in place may help you to gain control over your screen time as the drive to get off social media will come from an external source, rather than being internally motivated.
2. Designate social media hours
If a time limit on your apps is not preferable, specifying a time each day to go on social media may keep you from mindlessly scrolling throughout the day. Whether it’s assigning yourself five minutes every hour to scroll through TikTok or an hour or two every evening as dedicated social media time, giving yourself a window can help you cut back on the amount of time you are giving to social media.
3. Create distance from negativity
If your social media is full of people and brands that make you feel bad about yourself, whether by comparing yourself to them or by cyberbullying, remove them from your feed. Unfriend, unfollow, or even block accounts bringing negativity into your media consumption5.
Feeling disconnected because of social anxiety?
Social anxiety can have a devastating impact on someone’s education, career success, financial independence, and personal relationships. We understand how debilitating it can be, and there is a need for further treatment options, which is why MAC are looking for volunteers to participate in a trial for an investigational medication that can potentially reduce symptoms of social anxiety disorder. To register your interest or learn more, visit our social anxiety disorder study page.
References
1 Global Digital Insights – The time we spend on social media — DataReportal
2 Statista – Social network usage by frequency in the UK 2023
3 NHS – Social anxiety (social phobia)
5 UCDavis Health – Social media’s impact on our mental health and tips to use it safely
7 The Conversation – Social media rewires young minds – here’s how
