The pitfalls of living through our phones
We have all been worried about what others might think of us especially when it’s on social media. Or perhaps we worry about what someone means in a text, or why they're not replying instantly.
Before sending somebody a text message, you are sure to read the message again and again thinking that you have said something wrong, or it just doesn’t seem like something you would say to that certain someone in person.
If the person doesn't reply instantly, we often panic, rather than realising that they may not be in a position to send a response.
We can all worry so much about what to say to someone in person and what their judgement of us will be, communicating from behind a screen changes the way we convey our messages.
Social anxiety can be a problem both in person and online especially for people who have experienced teasing, bullying, rejection, ridicule, and humiliation which causes trauma. Studies show that interacting with others from behind a screen offers comfort to some people, although it may hinder their ability to interact with others in person.
Social anxiety can affect daily activities, like making friends or even keeping friends, as well as lowering the self-esteem of somebody which can cause pressure as to how we “should” be expected to post about ourselves online in a positive way like “everybody else is” . Having a high (healthy) self-esteem is important because it gives us a bigger opportunity to have better social relationships, an improved mental and physical health. Constantly looking at Instagram or TikTok can give you unrealistic expectations of yourself and your life, leading you to 'compare and despair'. It is not sensible to have your account settings open for anyone to comment on; nor is it a good idea to publicly post anything that makes you vulnerable in any way.
The solution as to how we can manage these sort of problems better is not necessarily to stop sending messages or being on social media completely because social media can have positive aspects to it as well, for example, you might follow people who post about their mental health and how to improve your mental health. These positive kinds of post, or positive interactions with friends can really help when you can just look at your phone and get valuable information or advice.
Inspiring and well known people on social media also get a lot of negative comments on whatever they post. Just like anyone else, they may find this hurtful or it may lower their self-esteem and change how they think about themselves but they have the benefit of their audience and their community who support them, so at least they do not feel alone.
It is really important that if something upsets you online, you talk to a trusted friend or adult. Keeping your worries all bottled up and not telling anybody can cause anxiety to grow bigger.
We need to understand that there is no such thing as a perfect life. It might look on social media like everyone else you see has the perfect life, but this is not the case. Everyone has flaws and everyone has issues. We should use social media to support each other, not take each other down. Social media can be your best friend as long as we avoid comparing ourselves to others. Don’t try to be something that you’re not. Take regular breaks from social media (perhaps set time limits).
It's good to be inspired by other people, but don't use that to beat yourself up. Even influencers don't have “a perfect everything” because we are all different and we should cherish that.
Natalia Pistorius Year 9
Before sending somebody a text message, you are sure to read the message again and again thinking that you have said something wrong, or it just doesn’t seem like something you would say to that certain someone in person.
If the person doesn't reply instantly, we often panic, rather than realising that they may not be in a position to send a response.
We can all worry so much about what to say to someone in person and what their judgement of us will be, communicating from behind a screen changes the way we convey our messages.
Social anxiety can be a problem both in person and online especially for people who have experienced teasing, bullying, rejection, ridicule, and humiliation which causes trauma. Studies show that interacting with others from behind a screen offers comfort to some people, although it may hinder their ability to interact with others in person.
Social anxiety can affect daily activities, like making friends or even keeping friends, as well as lowering the self-esteem of somebody which can cause pressure as to how we “should” be expected to post about ourselves online in a positive way like “everybody else is” . Having a high (healthy) self-esteem is important because it gives us a bigger opportunity to have better social relationships, an improved mental and physical health. Constantly looking at Instagram or TikTok can give you unrealistic expectations of yourself and your life, leading you to 'compare and despair'. It is not sensible to have your account settings open for anyone to comment on; nor is it a good idea to publicly post anything that makes you vulnerable in any way.
The solution as to how we can manage these sort of problems better is not necessarily to stop sending messages or being on social media completely because social media can have positive aspects to it as well, for example, you might follow people who post about their mental health and how to improve your mental health. These positive kinds of post, or positive interactions with friends can really help when you can just look at your phone and get valuable information or advice.
Inspiring and well known people on social media also get a lot of negative comments on whatever they post. Just like anyone else, they may find this hurtful or it may lower their self-esteem and change how they think about themselves but they have the benefit of their audience and their community who support them, so at least they do not feel alone.
It is really important that if something upsets you online, you talk to a trusted friend or adult. Keeping your worries all bottled up and not telling anybody can cause anxiety to grow bigger.
We need to understand that there is no such thing as a perfect life. It might look on social media like everyone else you see has the perfect life, but this is not the case. Everyone has flaws and everyone has issues. We should use social media to support each other, not take each other down. Social media can be your best friend as long as we avoid comparing ourselves to others. Don’t try to be something that you’re not. Take regular breaks from social media (perhaps set time limits).
It's good to be inspired by other people, but don't use that to beat yourself up. Even influencers don't have “a perfect everything” because we are all different and we should cherish that.
Natalia Pistorius Year 9