Social media offers the promise of interacting with friends and family and learning about people of other cultures, races, and countries. It is often promoted as a way to connect with loved ones, as well as the rest of the globe, even when physically apart or distanced.
By Megan
Though this may be true, social media also severely affects mental health. Numerous studies show a trend that social media is making us angrier for a variety of reasons. However, you probably don’t need to read any scientific studies to see just how angry people have become in recent years. In fact, the connection between social media and anger is probably quite evident in your everyday life.
So, how did we get here? Why is this tool that offers global connection also a source of so much ire? This article will explore the exact ways that social media enrages us. After reading, you should be more aware of how social media affects your anger and know how to create boundaries with it to reduce your rage.
Politics
Though one can argue that the increased interest in politics contributes to positive changes in society, nonstop reading of political updates or seeing the rantings of someone on the opposite side of the political spectrum can quickly induce sudden rage.
This trend has plagued much of the world over the past decade. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter have not only made it easier to connect with people with our same politics but also those with views on the other side of the political spectrum.
Since so many people are heavily invested in politics these days, seeing views that don’t align with their beliefs is enough to send anyone into a frenzy. Because of this, political discourse is no longer polite or professional. Disagreements quickly turn into heated outrages, with millions viewing the discourse from the comfort of their homes.
Neverending News Cycle
The news seems to be filled with nothing but negativity, drama, and anger-inducing stories. Many news stations and websites now design their feed to get a reaction out of their audience. Those emotionally invested in these news stories are more likely to come back to the site, so clickbait anger-inducing titles lead to increased traffic. This means that these stories take precedent over fact-based, well-researched, and more “boring” topics.
While many people may feel more informed when checking the news ten times a day, in reality, they are probably just hurting their mental health. If you think about it, you’ll probably agree that the news has ruined at least one or two of your days in the past few months. It’s very typical for someone to have their mood ruined just because they checked a news update.
An Anonymous Platform for Harassment
Unfortunately, social media has made it all too easy to let out our anger, and not always in healthy ways. Through social media, we can create an anonymous account so that our rants and beliefs can be seen by the world with very few real-world consequences.
To make things worse, this can lead to cyberbullying and harassment. Many people enjoy taking their anger out on others, and social media makes that easy to do without being held accountable. This cycle rewards people for being angry, fueling them to continue harassing people.
Keeping Up With the Joneses
In decades past, people would use the phrase “keeping up with the Joneses” to refer to the anxiety of not having or doing as much as their peers. Instead of being happy with their own lives, people would see that their neighbors or peers (“the Joneses”) were doing better and therefore be angry or jealous of the fact.
It’s not enough to be happy with our accomplishments and lifestyles. If the Joneses have a bigger house, a fancier car, or travel more often, we often feel upset and inadequte, like we haven’t achieved anything.
Social media has only amplified this problem. People often show their best sides on social media ‒ the fancy items, career accomplishments, fun outings with friends, etc.‒ and not the problems they struggle with. This creates a warped reality where it seems like everyone has achieved more than you, which can easily make you jealous and angry.
When you feel that you are surrounded by people who have accomplished more with seemingly fewer challenges or obstacles, it can create a sense of worthlessness or inadequacy. This can boil into anger for not having the seemingly happy life that others are living.
Final Thoughts
Though numerous studies show that social media is increasing worldwide anger, very few people have the self-awareness to see how much of an issue this is in their own lives.
If you use social media, practice mindfulness to see how it affects you. Though you may not realize it, a single post or tweet could derail your mental health for the day. Understanding this can help you create boundaries with social media and limit usage so that you can use it without hurting your mental health in the process.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, and struggling with managing your anger, BetterHelp has some wonderful articles and resources for you regarding healthy ways to manage anger.