Advantages and disadvantages of Social media.

The social media revolution has transformed the way we connect, consume information, and engage with others globally. While it offers unparalleled opportunities, it also poses significant risks, including addiction. In this article, we delve into the dual nature of social media.

Connectedness: Social media has made it effortless to stay connected with loved ones worldwide. Paradoxically, this heightened connectivity hasn't necessarily alleviated feelings of loneliness.

Addiction: Social media's constant stream of updates can be mesmerizing, satisfying our brains' craving for entertainment. This can lead to mindless scrolling, making it challenging to disengage.

Permanence: Those embarrassing moments we share online may seem fleeting, but they can have lasting consequences. Once uploaded, they can be accessed by anyone, including future employers and colleagues.

Social media is often associated with envy, addiction, and negativity. We need to transition from the darkness to the light. With around 200 social media platforms and about 2.7 billion users, it's fair to say that while we are connected, we are also disconnected. The big question is: are these 2.7 billion users truly benefiting from social media, or are they being controlled by it? The reality is that humans tend to blame external factors for their negative behaviors. If someone becomes socially isolated, their relationships break down, or their actions negatively affect others, they often blame everything except themselves. But is that fair? We must acknowledge that social media has irreversibly changed the world. Despite this, we often argue that these tools have degraded the quality of our lives. Has social media improved the world, or has it made it worse?

Since I started using social media in high school, it took one ordinary day in the eighth grade for something to click. After that day, I began reflecting on the negative impacts of social media on my life. I realized that blaming the platforms wasn't entirely fair. Snapchat wasn't created to harm anyone, and Instagram wasn't meant to lower self-esteem. These platforms are just tools, and they produce output based on our input. The negative outcomes are because social media reflects our darker side.

When I say negative impacts, I mean the behaviors that ultimately harm ourselves. Firstly, there's the content we expose ourselves to. Our feeds resemble endless streams of stress and negativity, filled with posts that make us feel inadequate. Then there are the fake smiles and photoshopped pictures we upload to appear flawless, often captioned with "love yourself." But do we truly love ourselves, or are we just following trends?

In the end, it comes down to us. We choose to be impacted negatively and to impact others negatively. So, is social media harming us, or are we harming ourselves with social media?

About two years ago, at 14, I decided that something had to change. My self-esteem had plummeted, I wasn't spending enough time with my family, and like many others, I was comparing my life to Insta-famous influencers. This was all a result of my online actions. I was contributing to a feed of stress and negativity and striving for perfection but never feeling happy. I decided to completely give up social media, but soon realized that abandoning it wasn't the solution. The solution was simpler: to become conscious enough to step outside the trends of seeking validation through likes and sacrificing our identities to be "cool." I stopped following people who negatively influenced me, including certain celebrities, bloggers, and even some people I knew.

This didn't mean I disliked these people; I realized that we can transform our personalities by curating our feeds. I began following people who positively influenced me, reminding me of how amazing life can be. I learned that life is beautiful not because we are flawless but because our flaws make us unique.

The solution for me was to restrict myself from following those caught up in living an impossibly perfect life. Once you unfollow negative influences, your feed becomes more about the people you care about and love. I can't believe I unfollowed my favorite Instagram bloggers, but it was for my own good. People who make you feel like rubbish aren't worth following, especially for the youth.

You might think I'm anti-social media, but believe me, we are the reason young people feel discontent with their lives. One of the most important lessons I learned was to be patient. Achieving true happiness and awareness didn't happen overnight. I remember starting with a 24-hour selective social media fast, which gradually extended to a week, a month, and hopefully forever. Surrounding myself with positive people had a significant impact, which is why I'm here discussing it. We need to step out of the dark and into the light. We need to take responsibility for ourselves and our actions online.

We have a choice in who we follow, which impacts our personalities and lives. I'm now grateful to truly live each moment. I have more time for activities that make me happy rather than chasing others' standards. I've learned to love and respect myself by surrounding myself with like-minded people.

Social media tools are designed to be addictive, so it's important to be mindful of who we allow to influence us. More than a year ago, my family and I traveled to Iran for a holiday. I used this time to enjoy the moment and avoid negativity. It was one of the best holidays because I wasn't constantly checking in or posting. I learned to use social media positively, sharing experiences authentically with loved ones. I stopped feeling the need to impress anyone and became less self-obsessed. I now realize that I was hurting myself by blaming others for my negative behaviors.

My advice is to be conscious of who you surround yourself with online. The people we follow on social media can impact us more than those we interact with in real life. This is because it only takes one click online, whereas it can take much longer in real life. Some people may completely abandon social media, while others find it impossible. We're all unique, so explore what works for you in this journey of change. Patience and effort are key. Maybe in the future, social media will evolve or disappear, but for now, let's learn to live with it by stepping out of the dark and into the light. Thank you.

As we navigate the social media landscape, it's essential to strike a balance between harnessing its benefits and avoiding its pitfalls. Remember, anything you share online can have far-reaching and permanent consequences.