At times when unhealthy lifestyle habits are considered one's choice, it is difficult to make people realise between wrong and right. Bad lifestyle choices are some of the major reasons for health problems among people. However, the millennials have more problems to worry about. Seeking for acceptance from others, mainly through social media is an underlying issue among not just teenagers but the youth too.
With social media preaching life rules to people, little is left for the young to think and react according to their needs. From binge drinking, binge-watching shows to thinking drugs as cool, bad health choices are considered a normal way of living. Travelling has emerged as yet another thing that must be done in the recent past. Here are five reasons why these habits may not be actually making you cool.
Drinking aimlessly
Binge drinking mostly among the youth is a health hazard that results in poor outcomes. Stressful jobs in the modern days can have dire consequences on a person's mental and physical health but drinking away is never the solution. The young today trying to run away from these by drinking night after night resulting in bad bodily conditions. With the concept being imbibed into pop culture with various shows featuring the pattern, the youth have, unfortunately, accepted it as a part of life.
Drugs as cool
While drug addiction is a severe problem among the millennials, the reason that leads them is even more shocking. Unfortunately, the young consider it as a 'cool thing to do'. A prime example could be the code term 420 which refers to the consumption of cannabis, especially smoking cannabis around 4:20 pm has made its way into the pop culture and thus the youth.
Binge watching shows
Binge watching has been subconsciously incorporated into the minds of youth with heavy promotions on social media. In fact, faithfully binge-watching your favorite Netflix series with your partner is a thing. The concept has been received so well by the youth that people credit themselves for not moving a limb for 10 hours together while munching on. However, researchers say it not just gifts you a bad lifestyle but also can create blood clots in your body. Restricted body movements for long hours can be dangerous for your body.
Social acceptance through social media
'Selfitis' is a mental condition where people feel compelled to continually post pictures of themselves on social media. It is not just the obsessive selfie-taking problem which is dangerous but how people evaluate themselves based on social media reactions to their posts and updates. It has been time and again proven by researchers that people try and portray a different version of themselves on social media to gain followers. In a series of photographs, a Bangkok photographer Chompoo Baritone had shown two sides of those 'picture-perfect' moments on Instagram. It showed how people took pictures of things or themselves canceling out the chaos around it.
Must travel
With a considerable increase in the use of photo sharing apps and travel websites, it has become a common notion that going to different places should be considered an important part of life. The rise of listicles mentioning 'must travel places' adds to the fire creating a notion among the youth that life should be filled with adventures and explorations. While one can opt to do what they want to do, these content which insists on adrenaline rush forces one kind of behavior. Instead of letting people choose what they prefer doing, today's social media crowd tries to build an image which could be completely different from their actual life.
The millennials generation has been the most criticised for their lifestyle and choices. While they are responsible for some of the best systems being implemented today, their self-destructive choices and carefree attitude can only turn disastrous in the future.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 14, 2018 04:55 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).