Digital media and its impact: How screen time is affecting emotional health?

In today’s world, it is not possible to completely avoid screen time, as electronic devices have become an integral part of both work and social life. But what we can do is create awareness not only about the time we are spending on these devices but also about the quality of information we are accessing through these devices. Every single picture, every single video, every single message we see is responsible for shaping our inner world, and hence, it is essential to be aware of what we are letting enter through our eyes and then into our mind and ourselves.

Exposure to digital media shapes our minds, emotions, and perception of ourselves and others. Not only are our excessive digital activities harming our eyes, but they are also filling our subconscious mind with violence and negativity. Exposure to violence and negativity slowly impacts our emotional and behavioral responses.




Excessive screen time can affect children’s emotional development by increasing irritability, reducing focus, and limiting their ability to express and regulate emotions.

Impact on relationships

Many people are making new relationships through Facebook, Instagram, and other social media networking sites. Though these sites are helping people build good relationships, some people are also developing toxic relationships through these sites, which are based on false promises, deceit, and fraud. The number of options available on these sites can lure people towards such unhealthy relationships, which are creating havoc in their emotional well-being.

The other major problem facing people in today’s world is the over-indulgence in pornography by the youth. This is having a major impact on their self-worth. Due to the comparison, they are sabotaging their own self-worth and are developing baseless and incorrect ideas about themselves.

Finally, the digital influences are changing the nature of relationships, often leading the individual further away from true relationships and self-acceptance. Both toxic online relationships and consuming pornography contribute to a weak self. Rather than creating a healthy and fulfilling experience, the individual feels unseen, unheard, and unworthy. Emotional well-being is affected, and the individual is caught in a cycle of discontentment, where true relationships and self-acceptance are hard to achieve.

The comparison trap: Social media vs. reality

People often come to me and say, “I am happy one moment, and suddenly I feel sad and low without knowing why.” When I work through such problems with my clients, in most cases, I find that they had watched something on social media, which had made them feel sad and had brought their moods down.

The emotional impact of the above comparison is huge. It can lead to anxiety, depression, and a feeling of disconnection from one’s real self. People start living based on the number of likes and followers they receive.

Breaking free from digital patterns

Breaking free from these patterns requires awareness and intentional action. Digital boundaries allow us to limit our time on social media sites. It helps concentrate on the quality of our relationships rather than their quantity. Self-compassion exercises like journaling, meditation, therapy, etc., allow young people to develop a positive self-worth that is not based on their physical appearance or performance.

(This is an authored article by Coach Sangeeta Sharma, certified life coach, hypnotherapist, and author)