Social Media: We’re beginning to lose ourselves. We’re beginning to lose our minds.

How important is your sanity to you?

‘‘It’s strange that in an age when we are more connected than ever, entitlement seems to be at an all time high. Something about recent technology seems to allow our insecurities to run amok like never before. The more freedom we’re given to express ourselves, the more we want to be free of having to deal with anyone who may disagree with us or upset us.’’ – A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life, Mark Manson.

We’re beginning to lose ourselves. We’re beginning to lose our minds. How important is sanity? With the rise of social media, the constant need to impress those around us, the attitude of “money over everything” – are we forgetting what’s really important ?

Life wasn’t always iPhones and Hashtags. I’m sure that’s something we’re all aware of. But have you ever wondered why there is a huge rise in mental health problems in young people today? Did you know that rates of depression in teenagers have escalated in the last 25 years? The quality of life has definitely seen improvements with decreases in teens smoking, drinking, taking drugs and unexpected/underage pregnancies, so why is it that rates of anxiety and depression have increased by 70% in the last 25 years?

What’s changed? The answer to that question, is of course – a lot. ‘‘School counsellors note that more students than ever are exhibiting severe signs of emotional distress over what are otherwise run-of-the-mill daily college experiences, such as an argument with a roommate, or getting a low grade in class’’ With the rise of all digital platforms, whether that’s social media or online news- information has never been so easy to access. But, perhaps there is an argument that the Internet and social media, are giving off some unintentional side effects. Expressing yourself online is easy. You can be who you want and say what you want. We’re always told that talking to someone, will effectively put you on the right path to getting better or solving a problem. I agree with this, however with the ease of sharing your thoughts and feelings online, maybe it is destroying the purpose of thinking out loud. Some people may argue that that is still a form of communication and it shouldn’t be put to blame; however can you hear and understand pain and distress, reading someone’s Whatsapp message? Can you believe with your heart, that smile on your best friend’s face is real, when you’re looking at her latest Instagram post? We’re now exposed to other people’s viewpoints, and sometimes we may feel like we are pressured to be a part of a crowd. How often do you feel disheartened about yourself after reading a tweet, that may have gotten you ‘triggered’. Yes, there is a place for fun and making jokes, but there is also getting personal and affecting someone’s mental health for the worst. There has in fact been scientific links made with social media usage and depression. Do you ever just ‘ghost’ and become inactive on all your social media profiles and feel lighter by the end of it? Maybe we should all be encouraging each other to do the same. Not everything is social media, someone online shouldn’t have the power to affect you. There is a lot more to life than what is behind a screen. Get out there, travel and talk to people. Let your phone die sometimes and lose a few followers – who cares?! Look after yourself first.