|
|
When it comes to online exposure, mental health can be seriously impacted. Having a poorly managed public digital history can affect your long-term well-being.
When it comes to the impact of online exposure, mental health is probably not the first thing you think of. But being constantly connected to the internet through our smartphones and other devices can affect our well-being in many different ways. Here, we’ll discuss how privacy and the digital world can have long-term impacts on your mental health.
Digital Footprints and Mental Health: The Connection
Today, virtually everyone has a digital footprint. Whether you’re using a messaging service, interacting with loved ones, posting on social media or consuming user-generated content on YouTube, everything you do is seen by major online companies. Those companies track your actions in order to show you other content that will interest you and compel you to engage more.
The things you post online, and the actions you take while you’re logged in to your online accounts, leave a digital footprint. Some of those things are public — so posting a silly prank video when you’re young could come back to haunt you if an employer sees it in the future. Other posts, even if you make them privately, can be used by advertising companies and media giants to feed “the algorithm” and guide you down rabbit holes of content.
Digital footprints can both impact your mental health and be an indicator of your mental health. They’re now so comprehensive and so commonplace that some researchers are advocating for those footprints to be used as a part of mental health care. For example, the way someone interacts with social media sites, how often they message people and the movement recorded by GPS trackers in their phones could help determine whether someone is depressed. These ideas are still in their infancy but could greatly improve treatment plans if used properly and with the patient’s consent.
The Pressure of Maintaining a Pristine Online Persona
The phenomenon of “keeping up with the Joneses” is something every generation has experienced. However, social media, and in particular aspirational image-based platforms like Instagram, have created a culture where people can easily present an image of living a perfect life, no matter what their lives are really like.
Freely available filters can make people look younger and “prettier.” While those filters can be fun to play with, it’s all too easy for people to forget they exist and develop body image issues because the person they see in the mirror looks nothing like the filtered images of celebrities, influencers and even their own friends online.
Another issue is the constant stream of reels, videos and posts of friends and loved ones having fun, celebrating successes and generally leading perfect lives. Many people posting these reels are doing so because they feel pressure to “look successful” or “not be boring.” Few influencers share the mundane or challenging aspects of their lives, so those who are more introverted or struggling with something in their day-to-day lives often feel inadequate because their real life isn’t as glamorous as the fake lives they see online.
Cyberbullying, Harassment and Their Mental Health Impact
Cyberbullying is a serious issue for many young people today, but even adults can be impacted by it. If you’re very online, mental health challenges associated with cyberbullying and harassment can be significantly amplified.
According to the anti-bullying organization Do Something, 37% of young people aged 12 to 17 have been bullied online. Bullying has always been a problem in schools, but widespread access to the internet makes it almost impossible to escape bullying. Pranks at school can be videoed and shared online, making an embarrassing moment that might otherwise be quickly forgotten turn into something that, in the mind of the young person, will never go away.
Online harassment can be equally problematic for adults. If someone says the wrong thing online, they could find themselves hounded by an angry mob of people they’ve never even met. Around 21% of Americans have experienced some type of “doxxing,” where personal information is shared online as a form of revenge or bullying.
Victims of these behaviors may experience financial loss or even be at risk of losing their jobs if the bullies harass their employer. They may feel unsafe at home and anxious about going out in public or online. If the ringleader of the bullying is someone they know, the betrayal they feel could leave them questioning other friendships, too.
While these emotions are things someone might face from more standard bullying, the way the internet makes it harder to avoid the bullies, even in the comfort of your own home, can make a bad situation feel much worse.
Strategies for Maintaining Digital Well-Being in the Digital Age
There are many perks to focusing on online privacy, mental health being one of them. Practicing good digital hygiene and moderating your use of smart devices can help you feel less stressed. Try these tips to improve your digital well-being:
- Unsubscribe from any mailing lists you no longer wish to read so your inbox is less cluttered.
- Turn off notifications on your social media apps and limit yourself to checking them at certain times of day.
- Mute group chats in your messaging apps and only leave notifications on for friends and family.
- Put your phone down when you’re consuming other forms of entertainment such as reading or watching TV.
- Disable tags on social media sites to better maintain your privacy.
- Think before you post. Would you want an employer or an elderly loved one to see this content?
- If you find yourself “doomscrolling,” log off. There’s no point to upsetting yourself.
- Don’t read the comments on popular posts. By avoiding general chatter, you’ll see fewer trolls.
Another thing to consider is to leave the most popular social media sites and consider joining a more interest-focused platform. One movement, called the Fediverse, is made up of independent social media sites that can “federate” to talk to each other. The content on those sites tends to be focused on a specific niche, and since the sites are less popular, many users find the signal-to-noise ratio is much better. In addition, there’s more sense of community since members get to know each other more quickly.
If you’re worried about your online privacy and mental health, FHE Health can help. Contact us to connect with one of our experienced, compassionate counselors and learn how to better cope with the challenges of the digital age.
