A basic human need that contributes to happiness is connection with others. Human beings are a social species, and social interactions are super important to maintain happiness. Human beings are wired to be social according to psychology. People need to form and focus on building stable relationships in order to maintain happiness.
Social media enables you to stay connected with friends and family. It can also allow you to meet new people that have similar interests, work, and ambitions. It is also shown that a routine use of social media may compensate for the lack of face-to-face social interactions that impact a busy person’s life.
To improve life satisfaction, we must strengthen our relationships and nourish our previously made bonds, and create new bonds. We can do this in three main ways:
1. Connect and reconnect with friends and family — not just at major events or on holidays, but through zoom, social media, at brunch or during dinner. Being present during meal times and quality time is highly important.
2. Invest time. When possible, give your loved ones your full attention. Show them you are committed to their happiness and health and yours will improve in return.
3. Choose experiences over things and objects. Go to the park. Go to the beach. Play board games. Make a nice, homemade dinner.
While there are a lot of negatives to social media, the positives it brings are undeniable. As you can see, the positive effects of social media include real world relationships, awareness of people's health, and community building. All of these are examples of social interactions that can benefit one's well being and happiness.
In conclusion, while there are undoubtedly many negative effects brought on by social media use, there are many notable positives as well. As discussed previously, human beings are a very social species and crave human interaction on a daily basis. Social media helps us achieve this by keeping us in touch with friends and family despite the obstacles life may bring like distance and time constraints.
NMD 200 Jon Ippolito - Group 4: Bridget Adams, Kevin Bretthauer, Emily Brule
Sources:
The Key to Happiness Lies in Human Connection:
https://medium.com/the-ascent/the-key-to-happiness-lies-in-human-connection-27a676a1a7f4
Good Social Relationships are the Most Consistent Predictor of a Happy Life:
http://ccare.stanford.edu/press_posts/good-social-relationships-are-the-most-consistent-predictor-of-a-happy-life/
Social Media Use Can be Positive for Mental Health and Well-Being:
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/social-media-positive-mental-health/
Social Media and Mental Health:
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/social-media-and-mental-health.htm#:~:text=The%20positive%20aspects%20of%20social%20media&text=Social%20media%20enables%20you%20to,raise%20awareness%20on%20important%20issues
Is Social Connection the Best Path to Happiness?:
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/is_social_connection_the_best_path_to_happiness