Why You Should Never Use Social Media
It seems like everyone and their dog has a Facebook or Twitter account these days. Even your grandparents are probably on one (or more) of these platforms!
Social media can be great for staying in touch with friends and family, sharing news and experiences, or even just killing time.
But in a world where it now dominates almost every aspect of our lives, it’s important to take a step back and ask ourselves: is this really what we want? Is this even healthy?
The answer, more often than not, is no. Social media can be harmful in many ways, both to our mental and emotional health and our relationships. Let’s take a look at some of the ways social media can be damaging, and why, if you value your wellbeing, you should avoid it altogether.
14 reasons why you should never use social media
1. It’s a time suck
People don’t realize just how much time they spend on social media.
According to Smart Insights, which gathers statistics on social media activity, the average person spends 2.5 hours per day on social media! That’s more than 15% of our waking hours, and it’s time that could be spent doing more productive things.
2. It’s addictive
It’s not just the time we’re physically spending on social media that’s the problem. Social media platforms are designed to be addictive, and they use a variety of techniques to keep us coming back for more.
For example, Facebook uses something called the “variable rewards” principle – which essentially means giving us “rewards” (in the form of infinite scrolling, likes, and comments) that keep us returning to or staying on the platform.
This is similar to how slot machines work – we keep pulling the lever in the hopes of getting a big win, even though the odds are stacked against us.
3. It’s distracting
When we’re constantly checking our phones for notifications, it’s hard to focus on anything else. We might be trying to have a conversation with someone, but our attention is divided and we’re only half-listening.
Or we might be working on a project, but we can’t focus because we’re thinking about what’s going on in our social media feeds.
4. You’ll feel inadequate
The constant comparisons we make between our own lives and the perfectly curated images we see on Instagram or Facebook can lead to feelings of inadequacy.
Not to mention the FOMO (fear of missing out) that comes from seeing everyone else’s highlight reel while our own lives somehow feel mundane in comparison.
5. It can damage your mental health
Social media has been linked to a whole host of mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.
This is likely due to a combination of the factors we’ve already discussed – the constant comparisons, the addictive nature of social media, and the time we spend on it.
6. It can lead to cyberbullying
Cyberbullying has become increasingly prevalent in recent years thanks in large part to social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram.
People are far more likely to say hurtful things online than they ever would in person, which can lead to serious emotional distress (and even suicide in extreme cases).
Cyberbullying is a huge problem, especially among young people. The virality of social media exacerbates this issue. Anything can go viral and there’s really no way to stop it.
7. It can ruin your relationships
All the time we spend on social media is time we’re not spending with the people in our lives.
And when we’re constantly checking our phones or refreshing our feeds, we’re not really present in the moment. We might be physically there, but mentally, we’re somewhere else entirely.
8. Social media will kill your attention span
Remember when you used to be able to read an entire book in one sitting? Or have a conversation without being interrupted by a notification on your phone?
Yeah, those days are long gone thanks to social media. Our attention spans have dwindled to that of a goldfish (which is kind of insulting to goldfish) and it’s all because we’re constantly bombarded with new content that demands our immediate attention.
9. It will make you less social
This one might seem counterintuitive, since social media is, well, social. But hear us out.
Yes, social media platforms allow us to connect with people from all over the world. But at the same time, they’re making us less social in person.
How many times have you been out with friends and everyone is on their phones instead of talking to each other? Or at a family dinner where everyone is staring at their screens instead of engaging in conversation?
It’s becoming more and more common, and it’s all because we’re spending so much time socializing online that we don’t know how to socialize in person anymore.
10. You could say the “wrong” thing and be canceled
“Cancel culture” is a phenomenon that has taken over social media in recent years. And it’s something that can ruin your life if you’re not careful.
Basically, cancel culture is when someone says or does something that is deemed to be offensive, and then they are “canceled” by the online community. This can mean anything from being banned from social media platforms to losing your job.
The trouble is, these days, everything is considered offensive to someone. And if you say the wrong thing, you could find yourself in hot water.
11. It could be dangerous
There have been plenty of news stories about people being attacked or even killed because of something they posted on social media.
People have been robbed and killed after posting photos of their new cars or houses on platforms like Instagram. Others have been targeted by stalkers or kidnappers after posting too much personal information online.
There’s also the possibility that you could be doxxed if something you say offends someone.
What is doxxing?
Doxxing is the act of posting someone’s personal information online without their consent. This can include things like their home address, phone number, email address, and even credit card information.
Doxxing is often used as a form of harassment or revenge. And it can be extremely dangerous – especially if the person being doxxed is targeted by someone with malicious intent.
12. You could be brainwashed and become radicalized
Social media is an echo chamber. And if you’re not careful, it can brainwash you.
What is an echo chamber?
An echo chamber is a situation in which someone only hears opinions that agree with their own. This can happen when we only follow people on social media who share our beliefs.
We become so used to hearing the same opinions over and over again that we start to believe that they’re the only “correct” opinions. And when someone expresses a different opinion, we view them as wrong or even dangerous.
This can lead to radicalization, which is when someone becomes so entrenched in their beliefs that they’re willing to fight or even die for them.
13. Everyone lies on social media
The bottom line is that people never post the whole truth on social media. People only post the best parts of their lives and edit and filter their photos to make themselves look better. They only talk about the good things that are happening in their lives, and they gloss over the bad.
This can give us a skewed view of reality and make us believe that everyone else’s life is perfect except for our own. This can lead to envy and jealousy.
14. Censorship is rampant
Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are constantly censoring what users can say and see. They shadowban users, delete posts, and ban entire accounts if they don’t agree with the users’ opinions.
This censorship is only going to get worse as social media platforms become more and more politically correct. And it’s going to have a chilling effect on free speech.
Conclusion
Look, we get it. Everyone’s on social media – that’s where the action is. But that doesn’t mean you should be, too. Social media is simply too destructive: it’s a breeding ground for drama and conflict, and it can ruin your life if you’re not careful.
If you’ve never used social media before, consider yourself lucky, and don’t start now, because it will be much harder for you to break the habit once you’ve started.
And if you’re already on social media, we hope this article has given you pause for thought, and maybe even inspired you to take a break from it.