Mental Health Crises
Introduction
Communication is an integral part of the daily activities of individuals, governments, and states. Moreover, the ease at which information is relayed from one sector to another facilities smooth operations of deeds (Baker & Algorta, 2016). In this social media era, this attribute is made almost attainable, with the new developments and information mostly communicated via social media. Social media is a development in communication technology, where through the use of applications and websites, users can share information across the world spectrum (Baker & Algorta, 2016). It has become part of the daily lives of millions across the world, changing how individuals interact, communicate, and receive information.
However, despite the development of social media being a positive move in the world, it has accelerated mental health crisis. Mental health problems are becoming prevalent among users, especially young demographic, accelerated by time spent on the applications and websites, attachment to social media information, and connections across various social media networks, advancing the already dire status in various economies (Apple, Gerlach, & Crusius, 2016). Exemplified mental issues emanating from the use of this communication network entails stress, anxiety, and depression, with their levels varying across users and content viewed. The challenge has a worldwide impact, with national and international organizations handling mental health issues associated with social media as per their populations’ cohorts and form of governments.
Importantly, governments are striving to excel in mitigating the social media health impact among its users, at the same time, delivering the best from its use. Moreover, governments rely on social media for vast areas of their operations, thus being an invaluable sector for its development. It is in this regard that strategic solutions need to be developed, for the overall benefits of all users of social media, with the main intent being reduced mental crisis impact across various territories. This forms the essence of the study in evaluating how liberalism form of government plays a critical role in handling mental health crises in this social media era. Liberalism is a form of government that provides for other non-state entities to offer solutions to problems and challenges facing their communities. National and international bodies need to work together within their various forms of government to reduce and control mental health problems caused by social media.
Meaning of Mental Health
In examining the effects of social media on mental health, it is essential to grasp the morphological attributes of mental health. A person in a good state of mental health is one that has a definite sense of who they are as a person, a high level of self-esteem, wellbeing, and self-confidence (Wongkoblap, Vadillo, & Curcin, 2017). These people can initiate and maintain mutually satisfying and healthy relationships with other people. They can cope with their daily challenges and obstacles, finding healthy ways to relieve any stress they may feel. In the face of ongoing adversity and challenges, they show high resilience and endurance without experiencing a mental breakdown. They possess a strong opinion of their self-worth that is not overly exaggerated (Wongkoblap, Vadillo, & Curcin, 2017). They can exist with others without feeling threatened or like they need to be dominant.
Mental health disorders affect how people handle their everyday problems and difficulties. These people are more vulnerable to anxiety, phobias, depression, obsessive compulsion disorders, and mood swings (Benjamin, Banjanin, Dimitrijevic, & Pantic, 2015). Mental health symptoms can manifest in different ways such as fatigue, lack of sleep, poor concentration, low appetite and libido, poor memory, and suicidal ideation (Benjamin, Banjanin, Dimitrijevic, & Pantic, 2015). While everyone experiences stress in various stages of their lives, those suffering from mental disorders will handle these moments poorly, which then heightens their mental health problems.
Mental health affects all genders; however, teenage girls and young women are more vulnerable to mental health issues because of social media. Teenage girls are at an age where their physical appearance is central to their level of self-esteem. Over 90% of teenagers are active on social media. Over 85% of those between 13 and 17 years have access to the internet (Hogue & Mills, 2019). Young women are mostly influenced by changes in their physical appearance, and this impacts their social media use in finding matches in terms of clothing and likes (Hogue & Mills, 2019). However, social media can be a learning platform for its users. Through social media, the user’s confidence is inflated when comparison information is positively ingested in their life, impacting their wellbeing. However, negative information ingestion and comparison exaggerates the mental challenges of the user, widening the need to find countering information for satisfaction, which worsens the already dire condition (Apple, Gerlach, & Crusius, 2016).
Major social media problems on mental health and their solution
Humans are social beings; hence they need companionship to survive and thrive. The strength of human connections makes a significant impact on their mental health and degree of happiness (Pant & Joshi, 2016). Social connections relieve stress, anxiety, and depression, including boosting one’s self-esteem and worth, prevents loneliness, and add to the years of life. On the other hand, the lack of such connections poses a significant threat to one’s mental and emotional health (Pant & Joshi, 2016). In the current technologically advanced world and with the widespread use of the internet, many people depend on social media platforms, for example, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, and Instagram as a means of connecting (Pant & Joshi, 2016). While these social media platforms have undeniable benefits, the users need to understand that they cannot be a replacement for real-life connections and hence are accompanied by several adverse effects on the user’s mental health, especially when used excessively.
Among the negative effects include the development of low self-esteem. Every human being has some insecurities, and we share some of the insecurities and hide others (Glazzard & Mitchell, 2018). Often social media users may tend to compare themselves with others and tend to stalk their friends’ profiles, aesthetically perfect photos, and updating themselves with the status of their relationships. Such actions only accentuate one’s feelings of self-doubt; hence they develop low self-esteem (Glazzard & Mitchell, 2018). According to a recent study by the University of Copenhagen established that many people that engage in such social media comparisons experience “Facebook envy” while those that abstained from using Facebook reported feeling more satisfied.
In addition, the use of social media has been linked to the onset of sleeping problems and depression. According to a study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, the more time spent by young adults while using social media, the higher the risk of developing sleep problems, and they also reported symptoms of depression (Glazzard & Mitchell, 2018). Also, social media use is related to the development of a negative body image, hence the onset of eating disorders and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) as a clinical condition (Glazzard & Mitchell, 2018). A separate study conducted at the University of Pittsburgh found an existing relationship between the time spent on social media applications and negative body image feedback. Students that spent more time using social media were reported to have over twice (2.2) the risk of having concerns with their eating and body image (Glazzard & Mitchell, 2018). Those that spent most time had an even higher risk of 2.6.
Multiple strategies are available that are effective in addressing these mental health problems that emanate from social media use. Among these include becoming more conscious of the time spent on social media and including the time spent while going through other people’s profiles can help allow the individual to focus on themselves and build their confidence (Beresin & Olson, 2018). This will consequently improve their self-esteem and create a positive body image. Also, psychotherapy has proven effective in addressing multiple mental health problems. Therefore, in this context, psychotherapy can be used, especially among individuals presenting with symptoms of depression (Beresin & Olson, 2018). The therapy sessions and activities will be able to address the negative thought patterns and emotions inherent in depression. In addition, parental involvement is vital where parents can control the time spent on social media, including the use of any devices to access the internet (Beresin & Olson, 2018). The parents can also provide guidance and support on social media use that will address the problems. Finally, the individual should be made aware that social media can never replace real-life connections and hence encourage them to socialize in the real-world.
International strategies to cub social media health problems
In the majority of world economies, the use of therapist as a professional interventionist in regards to social media health challenges has become a major loophole of mitigating the vice. This entails intervention regarding primary mental health issues as well as physical health concerns. The main primary concerns are body changes among users, such as lack of sleep and body weight gain, which dictates the pathological use of social media. In addition, the World Health Organization is playing a key role in alleviating the mental health crisis across various economies in the world. WHO is striving to provide pre-mental health crisis solutions to minimize the escalation of a challenge when emergencies occur. One of the interventions adopted by WHO is the provision of guidance through online platforms on the necessary strategies required to mitigate mental health crisis (WHO, 2020). For instance, the organization advocates for solutions towards physical changes that promote social media use by some individuals. As exemplified by the WHO posts, war zones such as Gaza may play a major role in escalating social media use by the evicted or affected individuals on finding social consolation (WHO, 2020). Interventions are mainly propagated during a crisis, with minimal or no intervention at other times. This may escalate the mental health crisis within a community, and WHO is advocating for continuous help relief in terms of mental health and physical status of individuals.
Various institutions have been developed to offer a solution to mental health challenges. The institutions mitigate the mental crisis through the coordination of community events to offer peer to peer and family mental support through expertise exercised by their professionals (MentalHealth.Gov, 2020). The advocate information on general mental health to their target audience, providing treatment and services to issues emanating from mental health. These organizations can be grouped into two, based on their services. The first category is for children, youth, and young adults, and the second being national and community organizations. Among the children, youth, and young adults include 4-H National headquarters/ National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)/USDA, which provide socioeconomic support to the community and offer youth leadership experiences, Active Minds, a non-profit organization with a diverse link to the student and offering a platform for communicating mental health issues among them, American Academy for Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, offering health promotional strategies among youths, adolescents and families via various platforms such as research, and Child Mind Institute, which provide psychiatric treatments among its clients, among others (MentalHealth.Gov, 2020). Within the national and community organizations, various organizations such as American Bar Associations, American Psychiatric Association (APA), American Psychiatric Nursing Association, and Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW), among others, plays a key role in mitigating the mental health impacts among its clients (MentalHealth.Gov, 2020). Overall, various governments and institutions are working towards a free mental health crisis world, to attain a healthy status among all.
I.R Theory- Liberalism
Liberalism is a type of democracy where people enjoy liberties such as free and fair elections, law and order, and human rights. Citizens under liberalism have rights as relates to life, freedom, and ownership of property. Under liberalism, the wellbeing of the citizens is the primary goal of the government (Mehta, 2018). Liberalism ensures the enactment of institutions and constitutional offices that protect the rights of the people. Citizens have the power to vote and elect leaders of their choice, who will not only protect their domestic concerns, but also pursue a liberal agenda globally in the representation of the people. There is a negative view of war and military operations under a liberal state. The main concern of citizens under liberalism is their security, in peaceful coexistence with neighboring nations.
Liberalism features a division of power under different levels of government such as the Executive, the Legislature, and the Judiciary. Other forms of government may include states and counties that are independent in enacting their county and state laws, which must not go against the country’s constitution. Liberalism exists on the principle of democratic peace. The legitimacy of the government resonates from a peaceful exercise of democracy. The states and counties also exist under the principle of democratic peace, where states can work together under regional cooperation.
Under liberalism, the government is not the only body concerned with the wellbeing of the people. Liberalism gives people the right to form bodies, institutions, and organizations that address areas of personal, community, and national development. A strong element of liberalism is the protection of the welfare of the people and their rights. The people have the right to organize and carry out activities to improve their wellbeing and those around them.
Liberalism and Mental Health
Liberalism gives people the liberty to express themselves and social media is a platform for free expressions and free speech. The rise of mental health problems associated with social media needs for concerted efforts with different parties playing their role. The liberties under liberalism give the people the right and power to have a coordinated and organized response to mental health problems. Liberalism offers several solutions to the mental problems caused by the overuse of social media with state and non-state agents.
Mental health problems occur among frequent users of social media because of a considerable lack of social support. The family should be the primary source of support for teenagers, but families are becoming overwhelmed due to the changing dynamics of society. Families need help in providing social support to teenagers and state and non-state organizations can offer this help. Liberalism seeks the wellbeing of all citizens, and this gives people the right to form humanitarian bodies and organizations to offer help and social support for teenagers. The support could lead to reduced reliance on social media for support.
Social media does help people interact, and this is healthy for all human beings. The concern is the level of interaction and the harmful exposure facing teenagers across social media. A liberal government accords people with the freedom to harness the benefits of social media. Different organizations can seek ways to interact with users of social media, in particular young people, and teenagers. Through interacting with the users, parents, governments, and community organizations can use their resources to provide tools for online counselling, media literacy, and self-expression in a creative manner (Frison & Eggermont, 2016). The primary factor of liberalism is that it has to ensure the wellbeing of its people. The most significant benefit under liberalism is the freedom accorded to citizens to find solutions to their problems in legitimate ways.
Social media overuse is causing mental health problems such as anxiety, addictions, depression, and low self-esteem. While social media has numerous benefits, excessive use leads to mental health issues resulting in isolations, sleep deprivations, loneliness, and depression. There need to be efforts at family, national, and international levels to expand mental health care to cover the problems linked to the use of social media. Liberalism is a system that looks out for the wellbeing of its citizens. Within this system, people can form and develop initiatives to curb mental health problems.
Conclusion
Human interaction requires communication; today, multiple channels and means of communication exist. With the advent of the internet, social media has become one of the most popular means of communication. However, the use of social media has been accompanied by multiple mental health consequences that are an outcome of the excessive use of social media. The increase in mental health issues had led to the development of multiple techniques and government efforts that have proven effective in dealing with mental health problems over the years. While these strategies have been effective, a liberalist approach can be incorporated as an appropriate treatment approach as is it promotes human interaction, which is at the core of human connections.