Here’s how social media risks your mental health

New Delhi: While trauma, breakup and bereavement can send anyone into a downward spiral of depression, nowadays social media is also posing an increased risk for mental illness, contributing to depression, anxiety, or other internalising problems.
Often we get to hear either from the news or social media platforms itself about devastating cyberbullying incidents, pushing users to take fatal steps as they fail to cope up with it.
A 17-year-old high school student has been diagnosed with clinical depression due to constant bully from her peer group on the internet. She had been lucky to have parents who are well informed about signs of depression and provided her with the necessary help.
“During the very crucial stage of my career, I am trapped in a condition called ‘clinical depression’. Social media is a place where people are constantly mean, especially teenagers,” the teenage girl said.
She continued, “Since everyone easily becomes judge here my classmates started bullying me on Instagram over a small incident. I never understood when the problem became so worse that it deteriorated my physical health. I began to faint now and then. My mother decoded a few more symptoms and straightway planned to provide professional help to me.” Social media by itself is not harmful to health, however, how the person uses and perceives the role of social media in their life is important to look at suggested, a psychiatrist from Aster CMI Hospital, Dr. Divya Shree said.