Social media may cause mental stress

Social media may cause mental stress

May is the month for Mental Health and the Not Alone campaign marked the event with a discussion on ‘Following the Herd’ on Monday in Muscat.‘Following the herd’, is a psychological phenomenon where individuals conform to the majority view within a group, bypassing personal judgment or distinctiveness. This tendency is driven by the natural inclination to be accepted and feel secure within a social context, according to HH Sayyida Basma al Said, a mental health advocate and founder of Not Alone.It also touched upon self-confidence as the speakers narrated their personal stories.When individuals consistently conform to group norms and suppress their unique thoughts and behaviors, it can lead to a decrease in self-esteem and personal identity, creating feelings of dissatisfaction and psychological distress.Moreover, the pressures of conforming to perceived social standards on platforms like social media can exacerbate feelings of inadequacy or anxiety, especially among younger users who are highly sensitive to peer approval and belonging.In extreme cases, this can contribute to mental health disorders such as depression or social anxiety, highlighting the critical need for awareness and interventions that encourage authentic self- expression and diverse social exposure.The evening featured guest speakers sharing their stories, some of which they had