Charlotte Armitage: Is the rise of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and SnapChat creating an ‘always on’ culture?

Charlotte Armitage Picture Tony Johnson.

Charlotte Armitage: Why we must praise work of BBC and Emmerdale in putting disabled people in spotlight

The days of social interaction being predominantly face-to-face is long gone and we now live in a world where interaction with others is dominated by the likes of Facebook, Twitter, sapp, Instagram or Snapchat.

We are now overwhelmed with alternative methods of digital communication to keep in touch and connect with others. But this openness to communication leaves us exposed to undesirable interactions and creates an, ‘always on’ culture, that makes it incredibly hard to escape. Which brings us to question, are we really psychologically ready for the boundary-less online interactional world that we now live within?

Social media has undeniably influenced our lives. It has enabled us to stay in touch with loved ones all over the world, to reunite with those from our past, to find new relationships and new friendship groups too. But for all the positive benefits, it also has unfavourable qualities too.

Although most of us are aware that social media showcases the best parts of an individual’s life rather than a representation of reality, viewing these picture-perfect online lives of others, still has an impact on us on a subconscious level.

This constant comparison with others can result in feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem and isolation. However, most concerning, is the stark contrast between the socially normative rules for social interaction in the online domain, compared to that of the real world. It is potentially this disparity which has a negative impact on mental health.

As humans, we are social beings. From early in our childhood we are taught about what is acceptable behaviour and what isn’t.

These social norms have been well established for generations and provide the basis for a civilised society. But when you compare this to the current generation of social media consumers, they weren’t educated with guidelines or boundaries as children with regards to social media etiquette.

In the absence of this, it would seem that some people revert back to unsocialised and primitive behaviours when conducting themselves online. An individual, who in face to face interactions is pleasant and polite, may feel that online they can say atrocious things to other people without considering the consequences of their actions.

This type of criticism and lack of respect for others in the online domain has created an environment where people are vulnerable to be attacked or criticised even whilst sitting in the comfort of their own home.

All healthy relationships have boundaries and in fact, appropriate boundaries provide the fundamental grounding for healthy psychological functioning. In some relationships these boundaries are set by the people involved, but in other relationships the boundaries are constructed as part of our cultural social norms.

Respecting our own boundaries and the boundaries of others is what prevents us from becoming exposed to situations which we cannot cope with psychologically.

But where do the boundaries lie with social media? Have we as a society reached a point where these boundaries are set with respect to; what is acceptable to say online; when is it appropriate to contact others on social media?

With social media being a fixed part of everyday life, it’s important to take measures to ensure that we don’t become overwhelmed by it. Whilst the boundaries of behaviour may not yet be firmly established online, you are able to set your own boundaries in relation to social media use and ultimately decide what feels comfortable for you.