Table of contents:
- The impact of using social media too often for health
- What are the reasonable limits for the use of social media?
- The key is balance
Imagine a day without smartphone or an Internet connection. How would you feel? Restless? There is something missing? Itching to open social media?
Yes, most people today really can't survive a day without accessing their social media accounts. A survey by the Global Web Index in 2016 shows the average person spends two hours each day just opening social media. In fact, using too much social media is not good for health.
So how long should a reasonable amount of time on social media be played in a day? The following is the review.
The impact of using social media too often for health
Another survey conducted by Retrevo revealed that 11% of study participants admitted that they could not resist opening social media every two hours. This figure is certainly not so surprising, given the habits of people today who cannot be separated from their respective cellphones.
According to a number of studies, overuse of social media has a negative impact on a person's mental health. One of them is research from the University of Pittsburgh. This study shows that people who are overly active on social media every day have a three times greater risk of depression than those who rarely use social media.
Another study by the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine also linked social media addiction to reckless behavior, particularly in adolescents. According to the study, teens who are addicted to social media are 3.5 times more likely to do risky things without thinking. For example smoking, drinking alcohol, and having sex.
What are the reasonable limits for the use of social media?
Using social media wisely and responsibly means limiting its use so as not to interfere with your daily activities. You also have to be very clever in filtering information to avoid the risk of mental disorders such as anxiety and depression.
The experts themselves have not determined exactly how long a person can play social media in a day. The reason is, everyone has different psychological conditions and emotional reactions to the content of social media.
However, it is not recommended that you spend up to two hours a day using social media. A psychotherapist from the California School of Professional Psychology, Philip Cushman, recommends that you limit your use of social media from half an hour to an hour per day. Later, when you get used to being off social media, you can limit it even more tightly, that is, only when you have free time.
The key is balance
Remember, that doesn't mean you are prohibited from using social media altogether. Social media can also provide various benefits such as maintaining good relations. So, the key to fair social media use is balance. That is, don't let social media interfere with your productivity and daily interactions.
You are the one who can control the habit of opening social media, right smartphone You. So it doesn't mean that if a notification comes in, you have to open it immediately and reply right away. Especially if the contents are not urgent.
