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Sandip Bandgar
Sandip Bandgar

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The Dark side of social media

On some level, most of us can admit that too much exposure to social media is unhealthy but when it comes to our personal lives, we often assume that we are not as affected as the rest of the world. The problem with this assumption, aside from it being wrong, is that as a result of our dismissive arrogance, we fail to work on the problem in our own lives. If you’re not sure whether you’re addicted to social networks, I dare you to remember the last time you went a full week without checking any of your social media accounts...
It is important that you realize the extent to which our continued exposure takes a toll on our physical and mental wellbeing. The more frequently we use social media, the more likely we are to grapple with poor mental health, anxiety and depression. One of the reasons for this is that social media apps are designed to fuel unrealistic comparisons. By allow you to see the carefully selected and beautifully captured best parts of everyone else’s lives, you can’t help but form unrealistic expectations of a “happy” and “successful” life. The result is that you will compare these curated and airbrushed versions of other people’s lives with the ‘negatives’ in your own life, become consumed by it and remain trapped in chasing the mirage that is a farce.
Ultimately, you need to understand that it is up to you to figure out how to use social media without causing yourself any psychological distress. If you aren’t paying for the products, realize that 
you are the product
I had been taking steps towards reducing my social media usage and curbing the general screen time for my devices. Now, having realized more deeply this need to reduce my screen exposure, I have doubled down on my conscious efforts and have made immense progress so far.

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