Introduction
As one of the most innovative technologies in the world, social media plays an important role in impacting both the economy and peoples culture. Being a medium that helps in connecting people from different background and helping them share information, it increased use has been noted to have significant effects to humans especially to the millennials. On average, individuals spend approximately 4 hours checking and interacting on these platforms. Notably, excessive use of the social media sites including Facebook, tweeter, Instagram, WhatsApp, and YouTube has been established to have mental, physical and spiritual effects on its users. As such, this paper highlights some of the negative outcomes that are brought about by excessive use of these site among various human beings.
Physical Health Effects
Increased use of the social media results in the development of different health complications. From a physical perspective, excessive use of these platforms leads to the development of insomnia which a medical complication is affecting the ability to sleep. A research by the University of Pittsburgh carried out on individuals between 19 and 35 years established that an average of 30% of social media uses experience difficulties in sleeping. Understandably, this condition is attributed to the continuous exposure to the user devices such as phones, tablets, and computers that emit bright light that interferes with the production of melatonin, a body chemical responsible for maintaining healthy sleep. Additionally, long exposure to the blue light emitted by the devices can also lead to digital eyestrain. Some of the symptoms of this condition include sore and tired eyes, aching necks, painful backs, and shoulders. In extreme cases, people spending most of their time in front of these screens can experience strokes or heart attack that can eventually result in death. Additionally, too much typing can lead to hand and wrist development complication that results in a condition known as the carpal tunnel syndrome. Although different health agencies have highlighted including the world health organization have intensified their campaigns on the limited use of the social media, many people especially the youths still suffer from the complications brought about by excessive uses and addiction to these sites.
Mental Health Effects
Constant use of the social media also has extreme effects on human mental development and can lead to different complications including reduction of an individual's self-esteem, human connection, memory, and concentration span. A study by the University of Missouri in 2015 revealed that regular use of sites such as Facebook and tweeter could lead to the development of depression symptoms. The research further states that since these platforms are used to connect friends and families, the wellness and success of an acquaintance may create envy in the user that may eventually lead to severe depression. Additionally, increased cyberbullying and victimization in these sites has resulted in suicide and reduced self-esteem among youths. Notably, sites such as ask.fm, where people ask random questions, has created mediums of ridicule and tutor that prompt the victims to commit suicide. Photos shared in platforms such as telegram contribute to anxiety development, fear of missing out, personal failure and envy that may increase mental disturbance among the less successful users. The massive amount of information shared on social media easily reduces the concentration span of its users. Most people, especially the youth read a lot of content on these platforms. Surprisingly, most of them do not take a keen interest in the entire information but only read the headlines before searching for more stories. This limits their attention span that may effectually affect their academic researching abilities.
Spiritual Effects
Many religious leaders have also raised concerns on the increasing effects of social media on the spiritual lives of human beings. Tweeter in 2015 established that the level of addiction to these sites especially among the youths has been increasing over the years with over 300 million active subscribers and over 70 million uploaded photos over the same period. Moreover, many people including religious leaders, have adopted the use of these platforms to reach their congregations. As a result, many people refrain from the direct and more reliable method of understanding God since they rely on developed apps and filtered teachings. Equally, the excessive use of these sites has led to the development of narcissism that involves excessive self-love and self-preoccupation. Considerably, this means that human being no longer desire to seek for God but to meet their own desires.
Societal Effects
With the above trends, social media is increasingly reducing human interaction, traditional relationships and culture preservation. Traditionally, people used to physically meet and interact directly that in turn promoted the building of healthy societies. In the modern communities, many individuals especially the youth don't have enough understanding of both human traditions and values that were used to define different societies. Notably, this has led to the spreading of several unethical behaviors that not only define human dignity but also distort proper growth among the young generation. Some of the unwarranted behavior promoted by the social media include online gambling, pornography and cyberbullying.
Conclusion
Although most of the social media sites were developed to help connect people and share information, their effects on human beings have been constantly increasing over the last decade. Physical effects such as neck pains, backaches, depression, and insomnia have increased the medical expenses in different countries. Equally, man is slowly reducing his interest and passion for his spiritual life that has resulted in the brooding of several unethical practices in the modern society. Lastly, humans were created as relational creatures and social media has deprived most youths the chance to develop their abilities and improve their communities. With all these identified effects, is social media really a good and positive technology that can spark human development in all aspects including social, physical, mental and spiritual life?
