There’s actually a good reason to stay off social media this Christmas, and it’s not just ‘because you should be spending time with your family’.
According to a new study, lurking on Facebook and seeing everyone else having a great time is bad for your emotional well-being.
As reported by the BBC, the University of Copenhagen study warns that lurking on the social media pages of friends and acquaintances can produce unrealistic comparisons.
Essentially, it may encourage you to look at your own situation through the lens of other people’s carefully stage-managed posts. After all, people tend not to share the upsetting or mundane elements of their life, so if you think you’re having a worse time than them it’s probably because you’re comparing apples with oranges.
‘Regular use of social networking such as Facebook can negatively affect your emotional well-being and satisfaction with life’, the survey of 1,000 individuals found.
At this festive time of year, people will be getting glammed up, sharing presents and having a jolly old time of it, and doubtless the best moments will end up social media.
When we see these posts, we can be led to believe that everyone else is having a better Christmas than us, which is probably not true. They just chose not to upload the ‘Blazing Christmas Dinner Row’ photo album.
So, what’s the solution to all this negative social media influence? Could it be something as simple as taking a break from Twitter and Instagram altogether over the Christmas period?
Correct. This is exactly what the researchers behind the survey recommend. So maybe consider putting the phone down for a few days this Christmas. Treat yourself to some TV – there’s nothing on there that will make you feel bad about yourself.
