A convincingly coy justification to increasing psychological strains among students is sought in their connectivity to social media. Convenient, right?
It is not unheard of: social media causes depression.Social media is an endless space that connects all of us and brings us closer to each other in certain ways. The convenience of communication has been supplemented by this selfsame medium. But the idea of defending social media on the pretext of such rewarding connectivity is not entirely correct.
Social media is not without its vices. But the point of discussion is not these vices. It is, in fact that how these negative impacts have overshadowed our idea of looking at something a lot more intricate than this technological network- mental healthA lot of people will claim that social media is the central cause of deteriorating mental health among youngsters. Unfortunately the statement cannot be entirely overruled, but the magnitude of its truth can be questioned.
The competition and toxicity on social media causes strain. The constant activity can be extremely exhausting. Which is why we feel the need for “detoxifying”. In providing the vent, social media is helpful. The additional utility of this vent is the challenge we face.To say that social media is the primary source of depression is equal to saying that Diwali is the source of all pollution in Delhi. Such broad classifications eliminate the seriousness of the actual issue. However, looking objectively at issues is not a modern-day practice. Most of it has to do with escaping the responsibility by leading on with the scapegoat; in this case social media addiction.
We need to acknowledge the factors that contribute to depression. Is it societal expectations, filial obligations, and/or personal-overwhelming-anticipations? What is causing depression? The questions we need to ask have been left unattended as the answer is sought in indifference.Dealing with depression more informedly can only become more real if we first analyse the factors contributing to this delirium. Finding the causes is really the half-way. If you feel that social media is causing unwanted uncertainty and toxicity, by all means, take a drift away from the swamp. But if that does not help, the only measure that remains is introspection. It is always more than what it looks on the surface. Looking is all that matters.
Social media is not the only source of depression. Your source is different from mine. And it is in this subjectivity that the centrality of this discussion rests. Find your causes and factors. Because labelling indifferently is not a healthy practice.
Feature Image Credits: Freepost Press
Kartik Chauhan
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