Scientists have been
reporting strong links between heavy internet use and depression, with a
particular focus on social media. This came as no surprise to health education
expert Dr Aric Sigman, who says high exposure to social media can leave people
feeling inadequate. “There is a
relationship between the amount of time you spend on social media and increased
body dissatisfaction. High consumption of idealized images seems to activate
neural networks in the brain like the amygdala, associated with fear and
anxiety.”
Sigman cited a study in
which girls who instant messaged their mothers released the stress hormone
cortisol, rather than the feel-good hormone oxytocin associated with
face-to-face interaction. “We may be
hard-wired to need a certain amount of contact with people we care about. A deficit
in human contact may result in health problems.”
Facebook, it seems, might
not be giving us enough facetime.
(Summarized from BBC Earth Magazine (Vol.9 Issue 1), page
31 by Jo Carlowe)
Verdict:
Technology can affect mood, but it depends how we use it
Lord, Give
Us Today Our Daily Idea(s)
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