The pernicious effects of social media

Read the text below and answer the following question.

    In today's world, social media is central to our lives. It helps us to stay in touch with our friends, promote our work, and follow the latest news. How do these networks impact our mental and physical health?

    A number of studies have linked social media use with increased levels of depression, anxiety, and isolation.

    Social media lovers have twice the risk of depression, compared with their less enthusiastic peers.

    Research has revealed that younger and older users alike are in danger of breaking under the pressure of unachievable standards of beauty and success.

    Among young adult users, social media notably increases the incidence of anxiety and depression, according to the results of a sizeable study conducted in 2016.

  In fact, the researchers saw that users who frequently checked their accounts had a more than twice as high a risk of depression than their less social media-oriented peers.

    This may partly be due to the fact that social networks create an artificial need to be available 24/7, to respond to messages and emoji reactions instantly. But this attitude creates an unnecessary amount of low-key stress that takes its toll on our emotional well-being.

    And, despite the fact that such platforms are supposed to enhance our sense of connectedness with other people, research has found that they actually have the opposite effect: they render dedicated users lonelier and more isolated.

     However, this shouldn't really surprise us. The hyperconnectedness takes place at a superficial level, eliminating all of the extra elements that make communication more valuable and psychologically constructive.

   Such elements include eye contact, body language, the possibility of listening for changes in our interlocutor's tone of voice, or the possibility of physical touch.

    An over-active social media presence can leave its mark not just on our mental health, but also on our physical health — particularly by altering our sleep patterns.

   Lastly, researchers have proven that our commitment to social media platforms can negatively affect our commitment to our own creative and professional lives in complex ways.

Adaptado de: < https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321498.php?sr> Acessado em 19 de outubro de 2018.