Social media is a part of our lives today. Everyone around owns a smartphone with apps like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter installed in them. A clear idea of the social media addiction around you is visible on your way to work or school. You will find almost everyone on a train or bus glued to their smartphones! They rarely look up from the screens to interact with their co-passengers. Many of them cannot let go of this constant need to remain connected and updated even when they are at work or studying in class.
At times, the social media addiction gets to a scary level. The affected person cannot concentrate on work or studies. The tell-tale signs of social media addiction include inability to have any meaningful conversation with friends or family. Other signs like irritability, sudden bouts of anger, unrealistic expectations from life not just of one’s own but also from others around and the constant need to check smartphones for updates give away the conclusion that the concerned person needs psychological counselling.
According to counsellors and mind healers, social media gives a vent out for people who are frustrated with their real life. They make a clear distinction between their online persona and their offline self, with the former always painted in glorious hues of bravado. When their offline, real life is unable to provide enough excitement to make their online life look happening, they end up with very low self-esteem. Their confidence takes a beating, reducing them to a person who’s unsocial and unfriendly, even unemployable.
The job of psychological counselling in such cases is to instill the lost sense of confidence in the person. Along with the confidence, the person must realize that the online world is different from the offline sphere comprising of friends and family. The person needs to understand the value of actual conversations with a real person, as opposed to instant messaging and chatting. Getting rid of smartphones, or in the least, limiting their use to only a specified number of hours every day, will help a long way.
The biggest hurdle toward seeking the help of a psychiatrist is the denial of a person about the addiction. It is the job of people around them to nudge them towards seeking professional help. Psychological counselling helps to overcome the stress caused by social media and makes a person perform better at work and in life as a whole.