Social media is a factor of isolation or source of fellowship or fun?

All over the world a majority of the population use social media today. Social media like Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Whatsapp, Twitter, etc., has made us connect to a lot of people sitting miles away from us. But, even though it brings people together, it has also created a gap between people sitting right next to each other.

New research has shown that the more time young adults spend using social media, the higher their chances are of feeling socially isolated. According to a new paper published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, people who logged onto social media accounts for more than two hours per day were twice as likely to experience social isolation than those who spent less than half an hour. Perhaps the most substantial criticism that can be made of social media networks is that they deprive us of human interaction, and create virtual substitutes that still maintain emotional distance. Sherry Turkle has argued that social networks only provide the illusion of companionship and that the kind of interactions we experience can’t replicate quality interactions; in this context, we can be in the same room as someone else, but still devoting our attention to our online networks.

One of the biggest reasons why social networks are causing loneliness is because real social skills are going out the window. For Instance, teens today are not equipped with learning how to make new friends due to the digital age of social networks. There is also the issue of maintaining the friendships, which often is just done through social networks as opposed to hanging out. The lack of real personal interaction with these friends is leading to feelings of isolation. Another part of social networks is the ability to reply to messages, texts, and other forms of online communication with a blink of an eye. This ability to instantly communicate and talk back is leading to teens knowing pretty quickly when they are being ignored, especially since Messenger allows you to see if your message has been read or not. The teens feel insulted, lonely, depressed, and even anxious when they realize they are being given the “silent treatment essentially” by a so-called friend online.

While not all of the social media has a negative vibe, there are many websites devoted to feelings of depression, loneliness, and isolation. Tumblr, for example, is a place where teens can go to reinforce negative thoughts and feelings. These social media platforms tend to push teens into only interacting with like-minded people. The interactions of only like-minded people can significantly impact feeling lonely and isolated because teens are not engaging with different viewpoints or different thoughts or feelings. Teens that are not looking to enhance their worldview will find themselves feeling isolated like no one hears them or can help them with their problems.

Social networks cause teens to become lonelier often due to insecurities they have coming to the surface regularly. On social media, we see people having fun and who are happy both personally and academically. The fact that people post pictures of what seems to be a perfect life enhances loneliness of teens. Teens feel they are not as accurate as someone else online or that their family is not as cold as that of a friend. Instead of feeling like teens can connect with one another online through social networks, they feel like they cannot measure up to the confident and happy life someone else portrays online.

While social networks can be a positive way to interact with friends and family, it can also cause loneliness and depression in people. People often feel they are inadequate just through regular real-life interactions, and social networks amplify those feelings and thoughts. Too often, sites like Facebook create an artificial perception of others and mean that you lose perspective on what’s important. Using social media selectively, and making the most of the networks as a way to meet friends, or to learn more about opportunities in a local area, or even national and international support groups, can encourage a stronger sense of unity. So, therefore, there is a connection between social media and isolation and can only be improved if we start realizing the impact of it on our lives.

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