The reality is that there are many people who purposefully craft an image of themselves that they want the world to see. This can cause a rift in relationships as the lack of openness can lead to bonds not being fully formed, as the pressure to keep up the façade prevents people from truly getting to know each other. This kind of posturing often leads to FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) that can cause anxiety over the need to be on the “cutting edge” for fear of becoming irrelevant.
The solution then would be to reduce the feelings of alienation that permeate social media and eliminate the atmosphere of one-upmanship that breeds cyberbullying. How to go about this is a question that is difficult for researchers to answer, as it’s only natural to celebrate the good things in one’s life and to shift focus away from the bad or unfortunate events. The traditional remedy to loneliness – to make more friends – seems to exacerbate the problem. While social media helps alleviate loneliness in seniors, the benefits are far from uniform. Despite the social connectivity that social media provides, some people can still feel socially isolated.
Strategies to reduce loneliness that focus on eliminating negative thought processes are the most effective. Helping people link up with others in person and encouraging people to develop more robust social skills reduces loneliness. It may be more difficult for those who have been alone for a long time as they may be more distrustful of people as well as having a longer way to go to develop social skills.There needs to be programs and support groups for those who face social media anxiety and loneliness.
If you feel like social media is getting you down, know that you’re not alone. Seek help as soon as you can. Unplugging for a bit and actually picking up the phone to connect will go a long way to helping.
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