Social media blurs reality

Spending a lot of time in the virtual world can significantly affect the perception of reality. An analysis of more than 2,500 scientific publications has shown that people who spend a lot of time on social networks are more likely to suffer from disorders related to obsessive beliefs. This group includes narcissistic personality disorder (feelings of self superiority), erotomania (the belief that a celebrity feels love for a person), dysmorphophobia (obsessive thinking about imagined physical flaws) and anorexia (distorted perception of one’s body).

According to Prof. Bernard Crespi, platforms not only enable socializing, but also create the conditions in which such disorders can take root and intensify. In real life, one is faced with the reactions of others that adjust one’s self-perceptions. On social media, however, it is possible to form an image that does not match reality and receive a response that supports the illusory perception.

The use of social media is not a problem in itself. Virtual platforms help people connect, find like-minded people, and gain support. However, for those who tend to distort perceptions of themselves and others, they can become a risk factor. The lack of social criticism, filters, retouching, and other tools create a space where it is easy to maintain fantasies without facing real evaluation.

Another important issue becomes the difference between online and offline communication. In live communication, emotions, facial expressions and intonations help to better perceive reality. This is not the case in social media, which can exacerbate the withdrawal into illusions.

The researchers emphasize that people with high levels of obsessive compulsive beliefs may benefit from reducing the time they spend on social media. It is also necessary to study what exactly mechanisms of platforms provoke the development of such conditions, and whether it is possible to change them, making online interaction closer to reality.

One possible solution is the introduction of immersive technologies: 3D avatars, eye contact simulation technologies, and other ways to make virtual interactions more realistic. These ideas can help people better understand themselves and others, reducing the risk of falling into illusions.