Comparison on social media has become an increasingly common form of communication and self-expression. Whether through bragging rights or creating a story edited to perfection, these platforms have allowed people to compare themselves with others. This can have positive and negative effects depending on how comparison is used in a given situation. While the comparison is often seen as a way to motivate those around us, it can also lead to cyberbullying, stressing family members, losing confidence, and self-numbing if not appropriately handled. This essay will explore the consequences of comparing ourselves with others on social media and how it can lead to negative alterations in perception and unhappiness with our accomplishments. The essay will also discuss the different outcomes of comparing each other on social media – from positive inspiration for progress to negative consequences such as cyberbullying – and how we can use comparison to ensure better outcomes for ourselves.\
Comparison of social media
Blindly Comparing and Not Measuring Ourselves
It is too easy on social media to get caught up in the comparison with others. We often scroll through photos of lavish vacations or expensive luxury items and want those same experiences for ourselves. People create edited stories, making them appear perfect and untouchable by anyone else’s standards. This can lead us to compare ourselves with others – not always considering our unique capabilities or measuring our successes – ultimately leading us down an unhealthy path of self-doubt and lack of motivation (Jan et al.332). Blindly comparing without measuring can strip away any appreciation for the hard work we have put in towards achieving our goals; instead, it takes away from the joy we should feel when accomplishing something meaningful with our lives.
While comparison can be helpful if it spurs us on to try harder, too often, this is not the case. We tend to focus our comparisons with those most similar and within our orbit, bringing out feelings of inferiority or depression when we feel like we do not measure up (O’Reilly et al. 12). Teenagers are particularly susceptible to pursuing validation through social media due to its effect on the brain’s reward system – activating dopamine just as drugs do – making adolescents genuinely addicted. Even adults who grew up before the age of social media take part in the reflected appraisal, where they develop their sense of self from how others view them, risking incessant depression if they consistently compare themselves unfavorably instead of measuring themselves against their past accomplishments more than what other people post about their lives online now.
Straying from the Real Focus of Life and Losing Ourselves
It is not just blindly comparing and not measuring ourselves that can lead to unhealthy comparisons on social media. We can become so preoccupied with impressing others that we lose sight of what is truly essential. Often, people will portray themselves as living a perfect life instead of sharing moments that capture their true essence and character. It can make people focus on outside opinions about their lives rather than their personal goals and ambitions. When faced with such an issue, individuals may begin straying from what truly matters in life, such as relationships and family values, or simply enjoying the present moment instead of pursuing vain desires for perfection all over social media platforms.
Constantly comparing ourselves to others or their accomplishments is a slippery slope that can lead to an unrealistic view of life and take us further away from living authentically. This way of thinking impacts both our perception of reality and our mental health (Jan et al. 330). It is due to the automatic negative thoughts that arise when someone perceives themselves as inferior or having less than someone else. The constant desire for perfectionism leads to never-ending dissatisfaction resulting in low self-esteem (Wilson et al., 529). People no longer focus on celebrating our successes, instead comparing them with what other people have achieved or posted online, which gives them social acceptance and validation from their peers. Another danger is that the more time people spend scrolling mindlessly through these platforms looking at other’s lives, the further detached they become from our truth, creating an illusionary world where everything looks picture-perfect despite what may be happening behind closed doors – leading some people into more bottomless pits of depression trying hard to replicate a lifestyle they cannot reach without realizing how far removed it is from authentic living or reality.
Cyberbullying
The abuse of digital communication platforms and social networks can lead to cyberbullying. This form of bullying involves an individual using these outlets to harass or intimidate another person. The effects on victims can be severe and can cause them to experience mental health issues (Ybarra et al., 2016). The increased opportunities for comparison on social media are likely to contribute significantly to this problem; by creating an environment where people feel judged and targeted based on their appearance or achievements. When people believe others are superior to them, they may engage in cyberbullying. It is either because they cannot keep up with the constant posts about someone else’s accomplishments or simply because seeing other people happy makes them unhappy. Cyberbullying is directed at individuals and can manifest in the form of organizational harassment, such as trolling cultures that target specific demographics, and it has greatly increased on social media (Jan et al. 332). This behavior should never be tolerated since it contributes negatively to mental health issues and puts vulnerable people at risk.
Moreover, as competition for attention on social media increases, so does the hatred among peers (Schønning et al., p.8). People often create accounts solely to slander others and mock their posts or photos, sometimes even resulting in death. The lack of clear physical boundaries associated with cyberbullying makes it especially difficult for victims who are bullied. They often find themselves being bullied multiple times a day without reprieve from their tormentors while still having no idea who they are. Cyberbullies may target someone’s physical appearance or lifestyle choices to bring out feelings of insecurity and superiority that may lead them down a path toward depression.
In the comparison of life
Forcing the Family and Self to Bear the Scope
The impact of comparison does not end just with social media; it has extended its reach to our daily lives. Families can be forced to bear the burdens when someone compares themselves with others in an unhealthy manner. This is especially true for those living in families where academic excellence is highly valued and heavily emphasized within families; children are often told to constantly compare themselves with others, setting higher and higher expectations for themselves that may not even be achievable. It can put immense pressure on the individual and their family members as they strive for something that may never come – taking away any sense of joy or fulfillment from reaching one’s goals. Furthermore, for those who find themselves making unhelpful comparisons on social media, the implications may extend beyond their mental well-being; projecting their insecurities onto others forces them to bear the scope of comparison too. Family members are particularly vulnerable to this phenomenon because children often mimic their parent’s behavior. If one parent is constantly comparing themselves to others on social media, this could lead young people to develop similar thinking patterns.
Creating Stress and Losing Confidence
Social comparison on social media can lead to increased stress and anxiety as users attempt to keep up with others that appear more successful, leading to a loss of confidence. The constant striving for perfection can often lead to disappointment or inadequacy when results are not achieved. According to (Bozzola et al. 6), people who spend excessive amounts of time comparing themselves online often feel worse about their own lives, and this dissatisfaction may have severe implications for mental health.
When unhealthy comparisons are made, they can be detrimental to an individual. When people constantly compete with others without being aware of their capabilities or potential, they often forget the bigger picture and instead focus on unrealistic goals, which may cause them immense stress and anxiety. “Social media makes you feel like you should have a particular life, and if your life is not like that because of your condition, then it is a negative thing”(Wilson et al., 525). As outlined earlier, social comparison is both spontaneous and ongoing, so it is almost impossible for users to take a break from being constantly bombarded with images or messages that make them strive harder in order to fit in; this creates a cycle whereby they struggle even more when they do not meet the standards set by others which leads onto further losses in self-esteem and confidence.
Self-Numbing and Complete Swing
Excess use of social media is linked to increased stress and anxiety and self-numbing or escape behaviors. People may get into the habit of using social media to avoid uncomfortable feelings or life issues – this can lead them to become even further detached from their true selves, creating an illusionary world where everything looks picture-perfect despite what may be happening behind closed doors. This creates dangerous situations as people are exposed to constant images of perfect lifestyles. They then attempt to imitate these lifestyles, often resulting in complete swings in behavior, such as going from one extreme, for example, being very quiet and keeping themselves isolated, to another where they become too outgoing or attention-seeking. If not effectively treated, this can have severe mental and physical health consequences.
Furthermore, an unhealthy comparison can lead to a complete swing of our emotions. We may become so used to comparing ourselves with others that we begin to find solace in activities such as drinking or drug use to numb the pain and emptiness that comes from feeling inadequate due to constant criticism. The swing in emotions can also lead to poor sleep quality (Kolhar et al.2220). This can have very dangerous consequences on individuals’ lives and even those around them; it is essential, therefore, that we stay aware of how comparisons affect us mentally and physically in order not only not to succumb to severe depression but also to be able to recognize when we need outside help if necessary.
Benefits of Comparing Others
Inspiration for progress
Though comparison on social media can be detrimental if not handled properly, many benefits still come from it. One of the most notable is its ability to inspire progress. When observing another person’s accomplishments, we can learn from them and employ what we observe. Our goals may be more achievable than originally thought through careful analysis and implementation of their strategies (Uhls et al., 68). Furthermore, observing others’ successes in specific areas, such as personnel growth or even business-related achievements, can create an internal motivation within us to strive for greatness in whatever endeavor we choose to pursue. In a sense, comparison on social media helps us stay hungry for success, leading to better outcomes when used correctly.
Furthermore, gauging our progress against others can be a powerful push to improve ourselves. Witnessing the accomplishments that others can make and the heights of success, they reach can motivate us to strive for our objectives. Comparing ourselves to others can also help us evaluate our progress, recognize what we need to work on, and set reasonable goals (Raggatt et al. 8). Additionally, through comparison, we may gain insight from another’s successes or missteps, which could then be applied in good ways in life. Finally, comparing ourselves to those who are performing better than us can motivate us to enhance our performance and abilities. Seeing how far someone else has come in their career or life journey may spur us toward achieving ours. Furthermore, when we see someone else reaching success in an area where we are striving for success, it could remind us that our efforts will eventually pay off if we keep at it with diligence and hard work.
Looking for Different Directions and Mistakes
The other advantage of comparing ourselves to others is that it allows us to examine and evaluate different directions, strategies, and mistakes. When we observe how another person achieves their goals or handles particular situations, we can explore new methods for our projects. By recognizing the errors people make in their pursuit of success, we can gain a greater understanding of how what to avoid doing to achieve our goals (Uhls et al., 68). This ability to critically analyze someone else’s behavior and performance gives us the insight to make informed decisions when striving toward our goals. We can also study what has been done before us in a particular field of interest and modify our strategies accordingly. It allows us to improve by trial and error when issues arise; with this knowledge comes a sense of comfort that whatever adjustments we make are from well-thought-out decisions instead of brashly jumping into something unfamiliar. Furthermore, having access to other people’s experiences provides insight into how certain situations should be approached so there is less room for error when trying new things or problem-solving various dilemmas.
Helping People Build Confidence
Finally, comparing ourselves to others can build confidence in many areas. When scrolling through social media, we often encounter successful moments from people we know and admire. Seeing this could lead us to feel inspired and motivated by their accomplishments, which ultimately gives us the courage to take risks that may not have been taken if the comparison had not been present in the first place. This sense of security that one gains from knowing that they are capable of great things themselves is invaluable when it comes down to actually pursuing those endeavors with a positive outlook on life. Subsequently, comparison can provide an extra boost for people who doubt themselves or want more out of their lives than what they currently have. All-in-all, using others’ successes as motivation could be what someone needs to make strides toward achieving their personal goals without feeling discouraged.
Conclusion
In conclusion, comparing ourselves on social media can have both positive and negative effects. While comparison can cause us to strive for unattainable levels of perfection or engage in self-numbing behaviors, it also has its benefits – from inspiring our progress to helping build confidence as we pursue our goals. As such, it is important to be mindful of how comparisons are used. It is always important to evaluate their potential implications before drawing any conclusions about ourselves or others. Through careful monitoring and fostering a supportive environment both online and off, we can ensure that comparison does not lead us down unhealthy paths of cyberbullying or depression but instead serve as an instrument for growth in our respective pursuits.
Works Cited
Bozzola, Elena, et al. “The Use of Social Media in Children and Adolescents: Scoping Review on the Potential Risks.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 19, no. 16, 12 Aug. 2022, p. 6
Jan, Muqaddas, et al. “Impact of Social Media on Self-Esteem.” Ssrn.com, 31 Aug. 2017, pp.330-332
Kolhar, Manjur, et al. “Effect of Social Media Use on Learning, Social Interactions, and Sleep Duration among University Students.” Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, vol. 28, no. 4, Jan. 2021, pp. 2216–2222
O’Reilly, Michelle, et al. “Is Social Media Bad for Mental Health and Well-being? Exploring the Perspectives of Adolescents.” Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, vol. 23, no. 4, 20 May 2018, pp.1-12
Raggatt, Michelle, et al. “I Aspire to Look and Feel Healthy like the Posts Convey”: Engagement with Fitness Inspiration on Social Media and Perceptions of Its Influence on Health and Well-being.” BMC Public Health, vol. 18, no. 1, 10 Aug. 2018, p.8
Schønning, V., Hjetland, G.J., Aarø, L.E. and Skogen, J.C., 2020. Social media use and mental health and well-being among adolescents–a scoping review. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, p.8
Uhls, Yalda T., Nicole B. Ellison, and Kaveri Subrahmanyam. “Benefits and costs of social media in adolescence.” Pediatrics 140.Supplement_2 (2017): pp. 67-70.
Wilson, Ceri, and Jennifer Stock. “‘Social media comes with good and bad sides, doesn’t it?’A balancing act of the benefits and risks of social media use by young adults with long-term conditions.” Health 25.5 (2021): 515-534.
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