Newer studies on social media & mental health

Just curious to understand others perspectives.

Else your kids will call u bonus dad/mom

In these uncertain times w.r.t jobs, personal expectations, physical health and also especially for gen z, I see lot of friction from parents as well as view of world is mostly different. How do you guys manage mental health.

- Preteen girls are increasingly using anti-aging products seen on social media, leading to severe skin reactions and long-term damage. - Dermatologists report a rise in young patients with rashes, burns, and allergic reactions from products not meant for children's sensitive skin. - The trend is fueled by influencers and viral hashtags like #SephoraKids, pushing girls to adopt elaborate skincare routines. - Experts warn that the obsession with beauty standards promoted online can harm girls' self-esteem, body image, and mental health. - Calls for industry accountability and legislative action are growing, with some advocating for stricter regulations on marketing and sales of these products to minors. Source: [Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/influenced-skincare-routine-mental-health-f59bb09114ab93323e3a47197a1ad914)

It's a social crisis moment we're having. Why it's happening: - Rapid inflation - Social apps are more addictive than ever - Spatial computing - Rise of immersive and social gaming - People are playing the "creator" game - Going out is expensive - Devices are more "controllable" than the outside world - Peer pressure to be on devices (social, work) We're all kinda drunk on technology. Anxiety and sadness at all time levels. Someone will make us $1B helping us be less addicted to our phones and technology over the next 5 years. Someone will make $1B helping us be more addicted to our phone and technology over the next 5 years. They won't be the same person. The two ways to make money in this world are: 1) Get people more addicted to screens 2) Get people off screens You're either building the next big board games company or the next big dating app for VR You're either building the next big peer-to-peer events company or the next big internet community You're either building the next big Soho House or the next big SaaS app You get the idea. People are craving connection. It's just coming out in weird ways.

I know social media is making me miserable. I'm constantly comparing myself to others, feeling inadequate, and wasting hours scrolling. But every time I try to delete my accounts, I cave within days. Has anyone successfully quit social media? How did you do it?

- A study in China found that adolescents addicted to short-form videos have worse sleep quality and higher social anxiety. - Short-form videos, popular on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, are designed to capture attention quickly. - Researchers define this addiction as a chronic obsession with repeated use of short-form video apps. - The survey included 1,629 high school students and found a correlation between video addiction, poor sleep, and social anxiety. - The study suggests that social anxiety partially mediates the relationship between video addiction and sleep quality. Source: [PsyPost](https://www.psypost.org/adolescents-addicted-to-short-form-videos-tend-to-have-more-sleep-problems-and-social-anxiety/)

It's been 4 years since covid started and all of us went into the first lockdown (24 March 2020). I just thought of this while making another post, and this has actually taken me aback. It was such a crazy time, and now it's just long gone. - We got a lot of time to be home, to be around loved ones, most of us are privileged and hence Covid wasn't bad at all. We were mostly making Dalgona Coffee, sourdough bread, playing PUBG, watching movies, etc. - A lot of us also lost loved ones. It was really brutal for those who did. And it was always scary for the rest of us. - Most of us who have been in tech saw our salaries climb the fastest. The absolute peak job market, best hikes, the world was very positive in that sense - not as much work and enough pay to enjoy - The biggest thing I've noticed: Covid got me hooked to Instagram/YT Shorts/and other social media. I feel like I used to be more aware and awake before covid. Somehow, a lot of exposure to social media/content etc. has made me just very zoned out in life. I think a lot of us have a much shorter attention span. IDK if this is true, but certainly feels like it is true. Just penning this down because I'm genuinely tripping how long it's been.

I'm amazed at the ease with which women straight up remove photos of their exes from their profiles right after a breakup. No consideration for memories or feelings. Clean slate, next bakra please. It's not like people who know her personally don't know he didn't exist. It's just better optics for their profile so that newcomers don't look into their exes and "past mistakes". Out of sight, out of mind, literally. It's weird how teeny tiny apps have deeply changed and created said and unsaid rules in online and offline societies. The best part? They're free to use and dispose of, much like humans and relationships these days. I was a self professed tech loving nerd who is increasingly becoming luddite and tech hating. So many beliefs being questioned everyday. Just trying to detach myself from what I can now. What do you think about Instagram and how it affects behaviours? Any particularly good or bad ones you'd like to share?

Generally speaking, I'm a little less happier than I was 5-6 years back. Is this the case with you folks too? Or am I overthinking/getting depressed?