First Psychology blog

  With the constant presence of social media platforms, we are bombarded with images of 'perfection'. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook and TikTok showcase the highlight reels of other people's lives, making it easy to compare and feel like we don't measure up. Sadly, we’re led to believe that in order to be worthy we must be flawless - that our bodies, minds and lives must be perfect. The truth is that perfection is an unattainable goal. It is a myth that can cause very real damage to our mental and emotional wellbeing. By striving for an unrealistic ideal, we're setting ourselves up for disappointment, anxiety and self-criticism. For example, a study published by the National Library of Medicine found a “70% increase in self-reported depressive symptoms” in people who use social media regularly. Clearly, it’s time to shift our focus. Instead of trying to achieve perfection, let's learn to embrace our imperfections. Let's celebrate our uniqueness, our qui...

The use of social media has grown exponentially over the last couple of decades, with a staggering 5.03 billion people worldwide now connecting online. In July 2022, the Datareportal overview reported that: 59% of the world uses social media (4.7 billion people) there were 227 million new social media users in the last year alone the average time spent on social media is almost 2.5 hours a day While this might not surprise you, the negative impact social media has on our mental wellbeing might. Of course, social media has many positives but when you begin to feel it is having more negative effects on your mental health, it’s time to make some changes. How social media can negatively impact our mental health Constant use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and many others can affect us both mentally and physically. From feelings of anxiety and symptoms of depression to disruptive sleep patterns, these can take their toll on our overall wellbeing if ...

From Facebook and Twitter to Instagram and Snapchat, social media seems to have taken a firm grip on our lives, regardless of our age. Not only are these platforms a huge distraction in our day-to-day lives, but they can also play a negative role in our mental and physical wellbeing.  In a survey published by  Cureus in June 2020 , it was reported that “the prolonged use of social media platforms such as Facebook may be related to negative signs and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress”. While we indulge in hours of endless scrolling, trying to snap the perfect selfie, or striving to get as many likes and followers as possible, we are neglecting all of life’s good stuff that is so important to our health. But not only does social media steal our precious time, it has even more detrimental effects: We become less productive – It’s easy to lose track of time when scrolling through social media, which ultimately results in using our time less productively, whether at home...

You’ve probably already heard of the idea that our self-esteem is impacted by the media we consume and are exposed to. In a world where we are bombarded with particular body types and lifestyles, how can we ensure we protect our self-esteem while still receiving benefit from using social media? Is social media really that bad for us? Social media use has gathered some negative attention in recent years. However, much of the research indicates that it isn’t necessarily social media alone which is the problem, but rather how we use and engage with it. Therefore, it’s worth considering why you’re using social media. Do you notice that you use it when you’re bored? Do you find yourself checking your notifications to see how many likes you’ve received on your last post? Do you notice feeling dissatisfied with areas of your life after using social media ­- your looks, or yourself as a person? These may be signs that you’re using social media in a way that could be harmful for your self-estee...