Social Networking Sites Increases Disease Risks
There are a lot of social networking sites these days. In order to facilitate relationships between people, sites like Facebook and Twitter had become a daily ‘must visit’ site.
In fact, many people spend all day in front of the computer or busy with their smartphones only to spend time on these sites. But whats quite surprising is that these sites do not only give you pleasure, but can also increase risks of diseases in you body.
“Sending a message through sites like this rather than meeting face to face can cause side effects that are very big in the body’s biological changes,” said Dr Aric Sigman, a psychologist, according to DailyMail.
Increased isolation may alter the workings of genes and immune response to the feelings of anger, hormone levels and artery function. It also can impair mental health. In the journal he wrote, the Journal of the Institute of Biology, Dr. Sigman says that it can increase the risk of cancer, stroke, heart attack and dementia.
Social networking sites provide facilities that enable people to communicate with their friends without having to meet in person. In addition, they can upload photos, play games, and write status updates. Although designed to connect many people, these sites have an important role to make people addicted to be more isolated.
Researchers found that the amount of time people uses to meet face to face had reduced dramatically since the increased use of electronic medias in 1987. In fact, direct interaction can make hormones work better, for example the oxytocin ‘love’ hormones, which works to help the bond between couples. Imagine if the love is only sent through a message without seeing people directly, the work of these hormones would not be maximum, and could even occur changes in its production.
Of course there are differences between the actual presence with virtual presence. There will be changes in the function of several genes, including those that affect the immune system and response to stress, based on how many interactions take place.
With the growth of social networking sites, there is a change in people’s lifestyles. To save time, people prefer to meet virtually than face to face, education today even uses online systems that allows school-aged children not having to come out of their rooms to go to school.
“The electronic media also may reduce the ability of children, adolescents, and adults in social interaction, as long as they are isolated,” said Dr Sigman.
This can be seen clearly from the changes in lifestyle leading to a reduction of their time to interact during the last two decades. Parents spend less time for their children, like the cases in England. Habit of having dinner together reduces, while the number of people who choose to work online at home had increased.
“Social networking sites should help us improve the quality of life, but what happens is the opposite. They are not a tool to improve, but a tool to replace,” he said.
Source: www.medicmagic.net
