Why likes affect the psyche

The social networks Facebook and Instagram have abandoned showing the number of likes that users leave under posts. Instead, they include a few names of people who liked the content.

This decision was made because counting the number of likes could have a negative impact on users’ mental health. Moreover, the desire to get as many “social strokes” as possible sometimes leads people to rash and unsafe actions or behaviors.

Research suggests that social media can actually have a negative impact on users. For example, being too much in the virtual world can increase feelings of anxiety, cause additional stress and even more serious condition – depression. For some users, their self-esteem worsens, their level of inner criticism rises and their sleep is disturbed.

How do likes affect people

1. Receiving a like is one of the main motivators that encourages users to be more active on social media. Many people post content just to see the approval of subscribers.
2. Likes from acquaintances, loved ones have been proven to improve relationships, show support and are thus an effective display of attention and participation.
3. The strongest influence on users is Instagram, which often creates the appearance of an ideal world. Studies conducted among teenagers have shown that they find this platform convenient for self-expression, but associate it with high levels of anxiety, fear of missed opportunities, etc.
4. It has been scientifically established that getting likes provokes the production of the “joy hormone” on a par with other pleasurable things for humans. It should not be forgotten that there are many negatives on social media besides positive likes.

Mental health experts recommend spending more time in real life and less time in virtual life. You have to do a digital detox to avoid upsetting your emotional balance.