No matter how safe and attractive the virtual world may seem, it is very easy to lose touch with reality in it. Psychologist, specialist in emotional-figurative therapy Yulia Panfilova talks about the dangers of completely leaving the world of social networks and how not to get lost in it.
Social networks are a necessity of the modern world, but it is up to us to decide what role they will play in our lives and how exactly they will be used: as a means of self-expression, fulfilling the need to belong to an interest group, approval that was not received in life, or avoiding reality.
What is the danger of complete withdrawal into the world of social networks and virtual space?
1. Man is a social being. Internet resources are not enough to effectively exist in the world. Real communication is a source of powerful positive emotions. For example, if in infancy a child is little approached, rarely paid attention to him (as often happens in orphanages and other state institutions), children develop worse, get sick more, and in some cases even die.
2. Those for whom communication in social networks is more important than real communication, there is a greater risk of developing depression. If for a person going to social networks is a way to avoid reality, then sooner or later this reality will overtake him. In this case, it may be worth considering how to get in touch with her now, and not run away.
3. Loss of flexible communication skills. In the modern world, they are valued above other qualities, their development helps to become more successful in work, personal life, in building relationships with other people. By reducing the time of real communication with people, you can seriously impair your communication skills.
4. When you make a choice in favor of the virtual space, loved ones may be deprived of your attention. And this, in turn, can lead to a deterioration in relations with them and increase your feeling of loneliness. Unfortunately, we often do not realize how important it is for others to communicate with us, and in fact for many it can really be missed.
Read more:
- Why the Internet is dangerous: 7 risk factors
How to understand that social networks have become too big a role in your life?
1. You prefer social networks to real communication with friends and acquaintances.
2. You spend more than 5 hours a day in them.
3. You feel anxious if you haven’t checked all the pages on your social networks within 30 minutes.
If you answered yes to all the questions, then it might be worth considering starting to return to the real world.
Here are some exercises to help with this:
1. Feel the reality. To do this, put away all distracting objects, such as a phone, tablet or player, and focus on what is happening around for a few minutes. What do you hear? What does your eye fall on? Feel what is happening around you. Repeat this exercise several times a day.
2. Learn to connect with the other person. Make phone calls instead of texting. Listen carefully to what the other person is saying – there is nothing more pleasant in communication than knowing that you are being listened to. Ask questions, express your opinion and be sure to note the reactions of the interlocutor to yourself. Watch for changes in your state during communication.
3. Analyze at what moments in your life you immersed yourself in social networks more often and, perhaps, were dependent on them, and in what situations, on the contrary, interest in real life and real communication helped you easily abandon virtual communication.
4. Keep a diary of observations and write down in it how you feel every time you want to go to a social network. At the end of each day, write down how many hours a day you spent on this activity. After some time, you can analyze how much time you spend on social networks every week, month, and possibly even a year … Numbers can change something in your life.