Social media has slowly turned into a giant that rules over our lives. Countless people use hundreds of social media forums every day. According to a report, there are 37 million active social media users in Pakistan.

The same report also shows an increase of 5.7% in social media usage during the past year. A yearly increase of more than 5% points towards a downside of the phenomenon that social media is. It shows that people are getting more and more dependent upon social media with each passing day.

The most frequent users of social media are millennials. No wonder, they are the most depressed and anxious generation. Social media is a source of information overload which can easily turn into emotional and physical overwhelm.

This article focuses on mental and physical problems that millennials face because of social media.

1. Depression

Depression is the most common problem that millennials are facing and social media has a big part in it. According to a study conducted by the University of Liverpool, depression has increased from 9% to 15% for people born at the turn of the millennium and it is increasing every day for both genders.

Every millennial these day has accounts on several social media forums. They spend their time looking at screens wishing for a perfect life like a stranger in a far-off part of the world.

As a result, millennials tend to underestimate their own life. The fake perfection in filtered Instagram selfies shatters their self-image. They want to achieve that perfection in real life. These unrealistic expectations from life send them in deep depressions. In addition to this, cyberbullying that happens frequently on social media forums makes their depression worse.

2. Anxiety

Anxiety is another major issue that the millennial generation is facing. New research has shed light on the fact that millennials are the most anxious generation. Social media turns out to be a probable cause behind enhanced anxiety among millennials. Social media gives young people access to a lot of information from around the world on a single forum. They can look at what their friends are doing or what everyone else is doing in the world.

They thus become obsessed with keeping tabs on other people in order make themselves feel better about their own lives. As a result, they indulge in compulsive urges to check their social media to avoid the fear of missing out.

These compulsive behaviours lead to anxieties when they cannot indulge in them because of work or a family commitment. The intensity of the compulsion to check social media and fear of missing out can be judged through the fact that millennials check their phones at least 150 times a day.

3. Obesity

According to Cancer Research UK, 7 in 10 Millennials are likely to be obese before reaching middle age. If these statistics, millennials will become the most obese generation. Dr Aneel Shafi, who is a psychiatrist in Lahore blames the rising obesity among young people on social media.

Social media is not only overtly harmful, but it also damages the brain chemistry covertly. When young people spend long hours on social media, their brain releases pleasure hormones at every “like” that they receive. As a result, their mind gets addicted to the rush of these hormones and it becomes harder to break the cycle. If food is consumed during social media usage, then an addiction towards food also develops leading to obesity. Additionally, tech devices keep one chained to the bed or the chair. People are thus unlikely to exercise and consequently likely to gain weight.

4. Fatigue

Fatigue is so far the most common consequence of excessive social media usage. Due to informational overload, young people find themselves emotionally drained after every user session. As a result, they feel fatigued all the time and are unable to focus on other things.

Social media is a great tool for communication. Unfortunately, for the young generations, it has turned into an addiction. It causes various mental and physical problems for them and is being more counter-productive than useful. It is thus important to use this tool in moderation. In case, you find yourself distracted and anxious because of it, you should visit a doctor at your earliest.