OFA 2023 CSI Mindset and Motivational Wellness Cohort. The mission of this cohort is to shed light on the connection between social media use and wellness and how this influences both positive and negative aspects of individuals’ lives.
CSI Mindset and Motivational Wellness
What is Well-Being and Its Importance?
What does well-being mean?
Well-being is defined as the state of being comfortable, healthy, and happy. It’s a combination of a person’s physical, mental, emotional, and social health. In simple terms, it’s feeling satisfaction towards all aspects in life.
Why is well-being important?
Well-being is crucial to our overall happiness. More satisfaction a person has towards life allows them to make the most out of their day and positively influence others around them. It allows everyone to be the best version of themselves.
Answers from this cohort:
What is motivation and wellness to you?
“Motivation for me is to think about alleviating my future self-stress and being able to feel proud of the work I put in Wellness is about being patient and giving myself grace.”
How has lack of motivation affected you at times in your life?
“Lack of motivation makes certain events in life feel useless, like taking a class that does not pertain to my major. There is an external factor of surrounding friends that help alleviate the stress and also provide a sense of solidarity. In the end, everything ends up being okay, but horrendous in the moment.”
What do you do to take care of your physical and mental well-being?
“I take breaks often and will seek other people’s help when I need it. I feel like being able to have another person listen to your struggles is always better than being stuck in your own thought because it can get overwhelming.”
How do you motivate yourself?
“I motivate myself by reminding myself of the goals I have set for my life, long term and short term. It pushes me to keep working hard towards them because I know it’s all inevitably to give myself a better, happier life.”
Social Media and Wellness
Social media. A collective term for websites and applications that focus on communication, community-based input, interaction, content sharing, and collaboration. Social media allows connection with those on a more personal level, and get an inside scoop on everybody’s life. In retrospect, social media seems to be mere entertainment with no real life consequences, but in reality, more devastating effects of social media have come to light. This website will delve into the intricate relationship between social media, generations, and wellness, uncovering both its positive potentials and challenges when faced with excessive social media usage.
Social Media and Gen Z
Social media usage has become the new standard for everyone. Despite the intense debate over whether social media is beneficial or not, it doesn’t seem like it will disappear anytime soon. Social media plays a big role in teen culture today. Surveys show that 90% of teens ages 13-17 have used social media, 71% have at least one active social media profile, and 51% report visiting social media sites at least twice a day. 66% of teens have their own mobile device with internet capabilities and average 9 hours of their day online, not including homework.
Millennials’ Relationship to Social Media
Millennials are no strangers to the internet, in fact, they were the first generation to grow up with social media. 72% of millennials state that social media is an essential part of their daily lives not making them unlike Gen Z. The main differences between these two generations are the preference for certain apps and what content they consume. Gen Z favors apps like TikTok and Instagram, while millennials tend to gravitate towards Facebook. Gen Z tends to hop on social media trends and viral content as opposed to following small businesses and big brands.
Boomers’ Relationship To Social Media
Unlike millennials and Gen Z, boomers did not have access to social media in their formative years. While many boomers are reluctant towards joining social media networks, they are now adopting digital media at faster rates than ever before. In 2000, 14% of those ages 65 and older were internet users, now 83% of boomers belong to a social media network. Like millennials, Facebook is a must-have, accumulating over a 96% weekly visit to Facebook. While boomers are known for not needing a screen in front of their face all day, the fact that over 83% of boomers have been conformed to at least one social platform, speaks for itself when mentioning that social media is the new norm.
Teen Statistics About Social Media
Demotivating Effects of Social Media
In terms of academic motivation, social media doesn't seem to help. Studies looking at how social media use affects student academic performance show that they have trouble regulating their effort. For instance, studies looked at how frequently students used social networking sites, both in completing work and not completing work. In this case, students were expected to finish their work even when faced with more desirable activities like social media. The results of the study indicated that most students spend studying time on social media because it was more accessible and more enjoyable than the homework they had to do. This implies that using social media negatively affects students’ capacity and drive to manage their effort in completing assignments, which therefore has an effect on their general academic performance.
In recent years, many concerns have arisen about the negative impact of social media usage on an individual’s well-being. There is a strong connection between heavy social media usage and the increased risk of depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Research shows that teenagers who spend more than 3 hours per day on social media face more of a risk of experiencing mental health problems compared to those who spend less time on social media.
Social Media and Its Impact on Well-Being
Studies have also shown that young girls, ages 16 or younger, who have grown up with access to social media have increased levels of anxiety, depression, and a less view of their body image compared to other young girls who grew up without social media. This shows that symptoms of poor mental health are increasing as the use of social media also increases.
Social Media Dangers
Social media presents a range of dangers that cannot be overlooked. One of the primary concerns is the impact on mental health. Constant exposure to carefully curated highlight reels of others’ lives can lead to feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, and depression, as we compare ourselves to unattainable standards. Additionally, cyberbullying has emerged. The anonymity comforts people emboldening some individuals to engage in harmful and hurtful behavior towards others. Moreover, the widespread dissemination of misinformation and fake news on these platforms can lead to the erosion of truth and exacerbate societal divisions.
Social Media Benefits
Social media offers numerous professional benefits that can significantly impact our lives. It serves as a powerful networking tool, enabling people to connect with colleagues, industry experts, and potential employers or clients. By maintaining an active and professional presence on platforms like LinkedIn, we can showcase our skills, experience, and accomplishments enhancing our career prospects. Additionally, social media provides an excellent platform for knowledge sharing and staying up on industry trends, news, and developments. It enables instant communication, allowing people to stay connected with friends and family.
Strategies to Overcome This
Set a limit for how much screen time you can have daily
Instead of relying on social media when feeling down, go for a stroll to relax
Instead of spending leisure time looking through social media, engage in in other enjoyable things you enjoy
Learn to turn off notifications
Social Media Addiction
Social media continues to play a significant role in people’s everyday lives, and some people may become unhealthily dependent on it. According to researchers, 210 million people worldwide are thought to be addicted to social media. Using social media causes the brain’s reward system to release dopamine, which can result in physical and psychological addiction. The cycle of motivation, reward, and reinforcement known as a “dopamine loop” makes people want more rewards, which ultimately leads to addiction.
How Do We Overcome Social Media Addiction and Danger?
Although the number of people who face social media addiction and danger continues to grow, there are many ways to prevent it. Regaining control over our online behaviors can be accomplished by establishing clear boundaries and time limitations for social media use. We can maintain a healthy balance between the digital and physical world by engaging in activities offline like hobbies, physical activity, and spending time with loved ones. The ability to recognize the triggers that cause addictive behaviors allows us to shift attention to healthier alternatives. Increasing awareness is a highly effective strategy. Teachers can play a significant role in educating individuals about responsible social media usage and the negative effects that come with it. Parents also share that responsibility in terms of managing their screen time and looking over their child’s actions online. As a result, encouraging responsible social media usage and in-person interactions can allow social media networks to feel safer and reduce the negative impacts on an individual’s well-being.
RESOURCES
RESOURCES
Suicide Hotline California
988
California Youth
1-800-843-5200
LGBTQ Youth
1-866-488-7386
Crisis Text Line
Text HOME to 74174