Social Media is the new therapy

Have you ever opened TikTok, Instagram, or any platform and seen someone ranting about something? Or someone coming onto the platform to ask for advice. Or let me ask you this, have you ever been upset or felt a certain way about something, and going on your phone and blocking the world out seems to be the only escape? Social media platforms have become a new form of therapy for young adults and adolescents. Most teens would rather go to social media and talk/complain about their problems than talk to somebody/therapist. We scroll mindlessly, not looking or searching for anything in particular, but as a way to escape reality and to avoid stress or issues that we refuse to deal with. Spending mindless time on our phones/ scrolling has become a normal coping mechanism, but it’s not helping people deal with the actual problem.

Social media has become a new form of therapy for young teens and adults. This may be because of how accessible it is, as well as it is free and for the most part anonymous. But this is a common misconception that we often hear. In an article written by The River Wellness LLC, “For one thing, social media doesn’t provide the same level of privacy and confidentiality as therapy. When you post a comment or message on social media, it’s visible to anyone who has access to your account, and it’s not always clear who’s reading it or how it’s being interpreted. Additionally, social media interactions are often superficial and lack the depth and nuance of face-to-face conversations.” When we get onto these platforms and share our stories or our feelings, we have this underlying feeling of trust, that we can confide in these millions of people to help us. But in reality, this is harming us and could potentially get us to start sharing too much information that can put us in potential danger.

It is not just the act of going onto a platform and venting to millions of people that can be considered as therapy or a coping mechanism, but scrolling on our phones for hours on end and not caring about what is going on in the outside world is also a form of a coping mechanism used by teens and young adults. In an article written on Astudia.org by Pragya Thapa says, “While mindless scrolling serves as one of the safer mechanisms of coping with uncertainty and day-to-day stress, it also functions as the source of insecurity and fatigue, which drain our energy and overwhelm us. It has countless adverse effects on our mental, as well as physical, health.” She continues to mention how mindless scrolling can also cause depression, anxiety, inability to manage schedules, short attention span, lack of focus, and no awareness of time and reality. Sometimes the same behavior can also put a strain on our physical body, which may include backache, headache, insomnia, poor eating habits, poor hygiene, and neck pain. We think that causal mindless scrolling is harmless, but it actually can cause mental issues that can sprout into physical issues that end up affecting us during our everyday lives. 

I believe that if you are struggling with your mental health, you shouldn’t hesitate to turn to social media. They have many resources that can help you feel less alone and more understood. However, it is important to remember that social media is not a substitute for professional help. If your issues or stressors are beyond certain means, then reaching out to a professional for help or advice can serve as a better, healthier way to cope with whatever is going on.