SHAH ALAM - Social media has completely changed the way we connect with each other, share information and communicate in this digital age.
It has become an important thing in people's daily life.
Although social media basically provides many advantages, there is also a growing concern that the use of social media could affect mental health in a negative way.
Mental health is a well-known issue in the global society.
Accordingly, it is said that one of the factors that influenced mental health problems was social media.
Although many say that social media has many negative impacts, there are also some beneficial effects of social media on human mental health.
In general, social media is a platform that can connect people to each other.
Social media sites connect people who have similar interests, allowing them to share stories and offer each other support.
This sense of togetherness provides a source of empathy and understanding and can help those dealing with mental health issues.
Social media has also served as a means for people to access information, as it is a significant platform for sharing useful links, articles, and data regarding mental health.
To promote greater awareness and understanding of mental health issues, social media users could access coping strategies, self-help tips and even connect with mental health professionals.
Twitter and Instagram are the most commonly used social media platforms for spreading propaganda about mental health.
These platforms could also help reduce the stigma for users experiencing mental health issues.
The sharing of narratives and personal experiences of social media users has greatly contributed to the reduction of stigma associated with mental health.
Open dialogue about mental health issues normalises the topic and empowers people to seek treatment without worrying about prejudice or condemnation.
Social media also has a negative impact on mental health. First of all, this platform can cause envy and cause comparison between its users.
The tendency of social media users to compare their lives with others is one of the biggest negative aspects of this platform.
A person's frequent exposure to other people's wealth, beauty, wisdom can lead to feelings of inferiority, jealousy and feelings of inadequacy, which can exacerbate mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.
In addition, social media can also lead to cyberbullying. Social media platforms significantly harm the mental well-being of individuals who experience cyberbullying.
Social media users are more daring to bully on this platform because they hide behind an identity unknown to the public.
This gives people the confidence to act in ways that hurt other users, which can lead to trauma, shame and loneliness. The most common harmful effects are dependence and addiction.
Some users heavily rely on social media to make decisions in their lives. For instance, they may seek the opinions of their social media friends when making important life choices.
This is not appropriate because everyone has different ways of thinking and abilities. This can also cause a person to lack identity and not be able to make decisions on their own.
Without a doubt, social media has a significant impact on our mental health by shaping our perceptions of the world, others and ourselves.
While there are positive aspects to using social media, there are also unique risks and challenges associated with it.
We can make good use of social media while being mindful of how we use it.
This can help us develop a healthier relationship with social media, which can be good for our mental health. We can do this by raising awareness and making sure we take care of ourselves.
The writer, Ainun Nabihah Mohd Zabidi is a Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences student at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM).