Hello there!<\/p>\n
Today, I will be blogging about Social Isolation occurring through social (or perhaps, not so social) media addiction. Many of us praise social networks for helping our social interaction. But is this actually some kind of distorted illusion?<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve noticed we seem to live under the deception that virtual interactivity makes us social. Yet, in reality, this isn\u2019t always the case. Think about it. Have you ever seen or been sat with people who are all together, but are divided by their screens? I know I have. It\u2019s because they\u2019re too busy posting their latest update, sharing a photo or even messaging the friends they\u2019re sat with (as crazy as it sounds). We\u2019re becoming so immersed in our social media that it\u2019s contributing to a \u2018communication breakdown\u2019. Professor and psychologist Sherry Turkle<\/a> interestingly claims that:<\/p>\n “We\u2019re getting used to a new way of being alone together\u2026 designing technologies that will give us the illusion of companionship without the demands of friendship”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n On an even worse note, social media addiction and this \u2018communication breakdown\u2019 can even lure us into social isolation. Scary, I know. And yes\u2026it is as bad as it sounds. Social Isolation occurs by \u201cbeing online too much\u201d where people \u201cexperience a sense of isolation if they feel that others around them are enjoying themselves much more\u201d (grahamjones.co.uk article<\/a>).\u00a0By viewing things that other people post online about their lives, it makes us compare and often re-evaluate ourselves more negatively. This could give a sense of loneliness. I\u2019ll be honest, there\u2019s been times where I\u2019ve seen how happy and exciting some of my friend\u2019s lives are, lowering my self- esteem. Can you relate to this?<\/p>\n With many of us using social networking sites so regularly to the point of addiction, we are highly susceptible to this problem. It\u2019s definitely worth being aware of! When social isolation occurs, it can send people into a downward spiral, isolating them from society. It also affects health, both physically and mentally (e.g. symptoms of depression).<\/p>\n I think it\u2019s easy to see the link between social media addiction and social isolation.<\/p>\n Yet, some people think social media could actually be the answer to social isolation. Some people who struggle to socially interact think it can help them to make friends easier and connect more. But one particular study<\/a> draws attention to how those who already feel lonely, often make their situations\/ mental health worse by depending on social media for better interaction.\u00a0This shows that the more we use \u00a0the internet and social media, the more intense social isolation becomes. It won\u2019t cure the problem if it\u2019s contributing towards it.<\/p>\nSocial Isolation:<\/h3>\n
Social Isolation Symptoms:<\/h3>\n
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