Social media pressure and mental health

Social networks are increasingly becoming an indispensable part of modern life. It opens up opportunities to connect, share, and learn, but also creates invisible pressures that directly impact mental health, especially for young people.

“Virtual world ”, real burden

It is not difficult to see young people spending hours on their phones, engrossed in surfing the internet. Nguyen Thi Mai, a student at Hanoi Pedagogical University II, shared: “When I see my friends posting pictures of going out and buying nice things, I compare them to myself. Even posts that few people are interested in make me sad.”

Mr. Tran Van Hung, an office worker, admitted: “My work involves too many Zalo chat groups. Sometimes I still receive notifications in the middle of the night, and if I don’t reply, I’m afraid of being judged, and it’s hard to have true privacy.”

ATK Son Duong Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities attracts students to participate in real-life activities, limiting "virtual living".

According to specialist doctor I Vu Xuan Nam, Deputy Head of the Department of Neuropsychiatry, Tuyen Quang General Hospital, in the past 3 years, the number of people coming to see a doctor for stress, anxiety, and depression has increased significantly, many cases stemming from the abuse of social networks.

Nguyen Huu Duc (22 years old) once experienced depression: “I saw all my friends were successful, while I was still struggling. Prolonged insomnia made me depressed. Thanks to the support of my family and experts, I gradually recovered. Now I set a limit on the time I spend online, and the important thing is to learn to see myself more positively.”

Solutions from many sides

The mental pressure caused by social networks cannot be ignored. Doctor Vu Xuan Nam emphasized: “If there are no long-term control measures, it will affect the quality of human resources. It is necessary to promote school psychological counseling and timely support for people, especially young people.”

According to Dr. Ma Ngoc The, Head of the Department of Psychology - Education, Faculty of Politics and Psychology - Education, Tan Trao University, students need to be equipped with digital skills and emotional management to know how to protect themselves. "Integrating topics on online behavior skills and self-control skills is an important part of personality education," he said.

Accompanying young people in the digital space requires the connection between family, school and organization. Parents should pay attention and guide their children to use social networks safely; schools should increase experiential activities and promote the role of school psychological counseling groups so that students know how to behave and protect themselves. Of course, sustainable solutions still start with each individual.

Social media is not bad, the problem lies in how people use it. When we know how to exploit the positive aspects and eliminate the negative, the “virtual world” will become a space for learning and sharing, instead of a burden.

Article and photos: Khanh Van

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/xa-hoi/202509/ap-luc-mang-xa-hoi-va-suc-khoe-tinh-than-afc5182/