Additional Mental Health

ISOLATION

The use of messaging and social media messages have become a common occurrence in today’s society. Interaction on a human level has become less frequent in a person’s day-to-day living arrangements. Because of social media websites, interaction with others has become effortless, and people have isolated themselves behind online identities. Direct communication has been eliminated and much of society has been reduced to using abbreviations that express their emotions. Examples of important aspects of communication that are falling by the wayside today include:

 Basic verbal communication
 Tone of voice
 Facial expression
 Body language

Social media is removing these very human qualities of communication by eliminating the need to get out and socialize with others in person.

Sleep Disturbances

Evidence also suggests that social media overuse can contribute to sleep disturbances. Studies of Chinese and American children, published in the "Journal of Sleep" and the "Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics," found that computer use among adolescents was associated with later bed times, later waking times, less restful sleep and an overall decrease in sleep. The use of computers before bedtime has also raised concerns among sleep experts, including Phyllis Zee, a neuroscience professor at Northwestern University, that the light from screens is affecting circadian rhythms and possibly contributing to insomnia.

Loneliness

They lack the support of friends and family in the real world, so they seek out new relationships online. However, the lack of real world friends and family leaves them vulnerable to being taken advantage of online, or developing relationships which aren’t real, and just add to their loneliness and depression.

Stress

Many use the Internet to