The growing popularity of social media and the Internet, in general, has certain effects on users’ online and offline behaviors. Most of today’s people’s communication happens in the virtual world, where anonymity is an easily available feature, enabling adults to express their negative emotions without any severe consequences. Therefore, the rates of aggression on the Internet and in reality increase. One of the best ways to address this issue is introspection because this practice makes people aware and in control of their own thoughts, intentions, and emotions.
Overall, commenting on other users’ videos or photos or participating in online discussions allows adults to express all their negative emotions that accumulate at work or in their families. Evidently, such negativity rarely has serious consequences, which is why many people take advantage of this opportunity without realizing it (Fleming, 2020). Therefore, it is significant for adults to practice various forms of introspection, including reflection, meditation, or even sessions with therapists (Cherry, 2022). Interestingly, Iyer et al. (2022) state that “self-care mechanisms and harmonious integration of an individual’s online and offline lives” result in lower rates of bullying and negativity (p. 143). The authors notice that “a well-meaning, kind way of coping with one’s personal failures, disappointments and acceptance of one’s shortcomings,” which refers to the concept of introspection, is a quite efficient approach (Iyer et al., 2022, p. 143). Therefore, it is recommended that adults engage in the listed practices to become more self-aware when using the Internet.
To conclude, being mindful of one’s emotions and maintaining control over them is challenging. This century is marked by a fast pace of life, making people lack time to realize the actions they take, and online anonymity exacerbates this problem, causing an increase in aggression. On the contrary, introspection methods, such as meditation and reflection, make users more aware of their feelings and mental states, which is why this process is the first step to preventing bullying among adults.
References
Cherry, K. (2022). What is introspection? Verywell Mind. Web.
Fleming, A. (2020). Why social media makes us so angry, and what you can do about it. Science Focus. Web.
Iyer, M., Sharma, R., & Sahasrabudhe, S. (2022). Role of self-compassion and online/offline integration on internet addiction, aggression, and psychological well-being: A mediation analysis. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 64(2), 143–150. Web.